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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26343247">i taste you on my lips and i can't get rid of you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireQueen/pseuds/SapphireQueen'>SapphireQueen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gravity Falls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Priest AU, Teen AU, adult au, all of the AUs honestly, genderbent au, tags will be added as i remember them tbh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:42:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26343247</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireQueen/pseuds/SapphireQueen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>dipper and pacifica, in different timelines and different spaces, and they always find a way to eachother.</p><p>-</p><p>a collection of short one shot stories revolving dipcifica i wrote a couple of years back. there's a little bit for everyone.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pacifica Northwest/Dipper Pines</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. pacifica's first sleepover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i'm working on chapter five of "drunk on rosewater" because i miss these crazy kids</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dipper stares at the ceiling above him, trying to assess the situation in the only way he knows how; by methodically thinking about every little detail.</p><p>There’s pacing on the floor that’s slow and deliberate, it’s not the continuous pacing of a Mabel who can’t sleep, also not to mention the fact that Mabel almost never wakes up in the middle of the night.</p><p><em>Creak—creak— creak</em>.</p><p>It’s not Grenda either, because if it were, those small patters would be stomps, and Candy sleeps like a rock, not waking up until the sun is on her face.</p><p>So really, there was only one other option, and the most likely one. </p><p>The mystery shack is eerily quiet at 3am, and it’s a strange sensation. He’s sits up from the reclining chair and hears with more of an attuned ear as he hears what he thinks is someone opening the door to his and Mabel’s room, but quickly regretting it.</p><p>He’s not sure how any of them haven’t woken up, but kicking his sheet off, Dipper runs a hand through his messy hair and slowly climbs up the stairs. The door to the room is finally opening and he sees a small, purple bed sandal pop out, he can’t help the grin that crosses his face.</p><p>“You know, if you wanna leave, you didn’t have to be so loud.”</p><p>Pacifica scowls at him, but he’s used to it by this point, even finds it kind of endearing, but hey, when you’re secretly dating the richest girl in town, somethings are bound to make you weak in the knees. “I was going to look for you actually,” She replies at him, slowly closing the door behind her. Her tone was odd, and it wasn’t because her voice was lower due to not waking up the rest of the girls. </p><p>There’s was a quiver. </p><p> Dipper had been mentally preparing for this, being an expert on how to handle Pacifica at wee hours of the morning. He extends his hand to her and smiles, hoping to any God he looks endearing. “Come on,” He says, “I’m grabbing some blankets from the shed closet, let’s go to the roof.”</p><p> In any other given moment, Pacifica would have demanded answers, but she slowly walked behind him, hands together as Dipper took the blanket he had abandoned in he couch and another spare one from the closet and climbed the stairs to the little escape Wendy had shown him four years ago. </p><p> “This is nice,” Pacifica says, finally climbing up behind him as he sets up a makeshift couple of seats with their blankets they brought along. The summer night was cool, and although during the day there was a scorching heat, night had always managed to be more pleasant. </p><p> It’s not like they would freeze to death either, Dipper with some red flannel pajama pants Wendy had gotten him as a joke some birthday ago and in a black undershirt, Pacifica with her long sleeved purple shirt and short white pants. They made a sight.</p><p> He sits first, knowing Pacifica likes making herself comfortable after he’s been seated, a reflex of some sort she had explained once. When he’s finally down, she sits down next to him, neatly burrowing herself against him; he gently puts his chin on top of her head. “Do you wanna talk about it?”</p><p> Silence met him first, as it always did. Secretly dating Pacifica Northwest had made Dipper practice the virtue he’d lacked as a kid called <em>patience</em>. She would talk when she was ready, there was no need to rush. Instead, with one arm, he places it on Pacifica’s shoulder, as he uses the other to point toward some part of the forest. “Did I ever told you about the time gnomes wanted Mabel as their queen?” </p><p> Dipper hadn’t realized how tense he had been until he heard Pacifica laugh softly, nearly vibrating through his chest. <em>There we go</em>. “Yeah, and how you bravely saved her through sheer panic and adrenaline fueled cart driving, am I supposed to be impressed?” </p><p> <em>Teasing</em>. This was good. It meant that she was less nervous, carefully remembering that she could trust him. “I was very brave, I’ll let you know,” Dipper quipped, puffing his chest out. “You know, as brave as a twelve year old’s first encounter with the supernatural can be.” </p><p> Pacifica leans back and her head rests against his shoulder, laughing softly. “I’ll be sure to tell the mayor to give you a medal for that.” </p><p> The Stars were bright, and Dipper scolded himself. Pacifica was beautiful under the moonlight– let him rephrase that, Pacifica was beautiful all of the time, but you know, moonlight effect and stars about him put him in his romantic mood– and he genuinely couldn’t resist looking at her like she held all the answers to world’s secrets in her eyes.</p><p> It must show plain and clear on his face because Pacifica gives him a look. “You’re doing it again.” </p><p> “What?”</p><p> “Looking at me all weird,” She says, yet she doesn’t look away. </p><p> “I’m sorry,” He says sarcastically. “I’m not going to look at my girlfriend,”</p><p> “–<em>secret girlfriend</em>,” </p><p> “–<em>secret girlfriend</em> like I’m in love with her or something, I’ll be sure to wipe it off my face soon, but not now.” He smiles at her. “I’m enjoying the view too much.”  </p><p>Pacifica closes her eyes and smiles, leaning to bury her head in his neck. “You idiot,” She mumbled, which Dipper tried not to laugh at because of the tickling sensation. </p><p> “Your idiot, though. No refunds. Mystery Shack policy.”</p><p> She laughs softly again, but doesn’t move, a couple of seconds pass before she speaks up again. “I had a nightmare,”</p><p> Dipper figured as much but didn’t say anything as he patted her hair, listening to her. “It was the ghost again, he had me by the throat and I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t breath, Dipper and my parents just stood there, looking at me. Unmoving faces as I felt those hands tighter and tighter around my neck and I–” A choked sob came out and Dipper held her close while she composed herself. </p><p>The first time this had happened they were 13 and Pacifica had called, looking for Mabel but got him instead. He’d talked her through it, similar to his nightmares of Bill, and ever since then they’ve found comfort in each other. Dealing with the ghosts of the past. </p><p> Pacifica sniffs as she looks up at him, wiping away a tear. Dipper doesn’t move toward her, though. He’s learned through time that Pacifica likes handling things, and if she ever needed him, she would tell him. It didn’t stop him from taking her hand and kissing the back of it though. “You’re one of the strongest people I know.” </p><p> Pacifica takes a breath, calming down. “I can’t believe you put up with me like this.” </p><p> “Hey,” Dipper says, not letting go of her hand. “I handled you at your bratty 12 year old self, this is nothing.” She jokingly pushes his shoulders, but she’s laughing again, which is all he needs. </p><p>“Are you sure I can’t ask the universe for a refund?” </p><p> Dipper does a mock offense, hand on his chest dramatically. “But I’m such a catch, Paz! With my paranoia and PTSD! Why would you want to get rid of me?” He says, alluding to his troubles as well. He’s gotten better overtime though, with doctor’s, Mabel, his grunkles and Pacifica by his side. He knows, however, that Pacifica’s parents aren’t as supportive of his family, which is why the Pines family, and it extension to Candy and Grenda, usually stretched a helping hand to her when they could. </p><p> Pacifica doesn’t say anything else as she leans forward and kisses him softly. Her lips are still a it salty from her tears, which apparently she hadn’t managed to wipe away, but Dipper didn’t mind. Softly cradling the space between her chin and her neck, Pacifica breaks the kiss and places her forehead on his. </p><p>“You know,” She says, and she doesn’t sound sad anymore, which is always like seeing the sun. “I want to start publicly dating.” </p><p> Dipper doesn’t frown– because how bad would that look? <em>Jesus</em>– but he doesn’t smile either. “What about your parents?” </p><p> Pacifica shrugs, but doesn’t move. The comfort of being near each other too good to pass. “They almost threw a tantrum when I said I was sleeping over. Can you imagine? Sixteen and this is my first sleepover?”</p><p> Dipper chuckled. “Because look at how naughty you’ve been. Sneaking up to the rooftop to meet a boy, imagine the scandal!” </p><p> She rolled her eyes, but her lips were cornered up. “We’ll start small, you’re family… Oh man, Mabel will freak out, our friends… Maybe I’ll just let the word spread until they hear about it.”</p><p> “I don’t mind being your dirty little secret for a while longer, Paz,” He says, holding her. In some moment she had shifted, and was now sitting in front of him, legs dangled over his as she leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “And if you really want to do this, I’ll do it with you.” He says, taking her hand. “You don’t have to face them alone.” </p><p> “You’re such a loser,” She says, but her voice is low and she’s leaning closer again, running a hand through his mop of hair. “We can do it later, though.” She hushes as she climbs on him and gives him a soft kiss before sitting down next to him again. “For now let’s just enjoy this.”</p><p> Dipper smiles and nods, content to do whatever she asks of him. He lies down with the back of his head on Pacifica’s lap and points up. “Now that’s Ursa Major, tell me why it looks oh so familiar.” </p><p> Pacifica laughs and Dipper feels that they’ll, they’ve survived the literal apocalypse, Pacifica’s parents would be rough, but they would make it. “Your ego is too big.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. pacifica's realization</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>pacifica realizing she might have a crush on the lowly Pines boy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She starts panicking when she realizes she’s been looking at his dumb hat for too long.</p><p>She’s sitting in the walk in closet they were in earlier in the night, and even though the party had ended a while ago, Pacifica having had the best time in so long, that she know hid in the closet, putting off whatever punishment her parents were thinking of implying on her for defying them, and she realizes that she’s holding the stupid hat.</p><p>They had danced together, and later Mabel, Grenda and Candy had joined in, making it one of the best nights of her life, and as they said goodbye, Pacifica hugged them all (she had not hold onto Dipper a bit more than the rest of them, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise) and quickly made it into the walk in closet, knowing that whatever was coming was inevitable,but she would delay it if she could.</p><p>He had come with a backpack, the stupid boy with his ghost hunting equipment(even phrasing it like that sounds nerdy) and when he had changed clothes, he had jammed all of it in, leaving no room for his dorky hat.</p><p>“Pacifica,” She heard her father’s words echo, he was still distant though, she had time. Closing her eyes and holding in a sob, she realizes she’s clutching the stupid thing against her chest.</p><p>Oh no.</p><hr/><p>Pacifica would be lying if she would deny the overwhelming sense of relief that flooded her when she saw the Pines twins burst into the mystery shack.</p><p>It had been days since the chaos and the storm around them had unfurled, leaving all of them to face the most horrid of creations and Pacifica for the most part had remained on autopilot, doing whatever it was that Mr. Pines, Candy or Grenda asked of her.</p><p>
  <em>Help me board the windows, kid.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Pacifica, I will show you how to make makeshift knots for traps!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Let’s practice combat, Pacifica!</em>
</p><p>And all of it did she did,without a word or skipping a beat; she told herself it was because Mr. Pines, Candy and Grenda all knew what to do in this situation, they were here to help her. But she knew the truth. She was on autopilot and did everything that was asked of her because she couldn’t bear the fact of being alone with her thoughts for one second before they would start to eat her up.</p><p>What kind of child– w<em>hat kind of daughter</em>– would run away from her horribly disfigured father and dragged away mother and think <em>Freedom</em> ? She pushes away the sick pleasure (<em>don’t call it that, don’t call it that, don’t</em>–) that she feels of knowing that she doesn’t have to go back, she doesn’t have to be commanded by the bell again. She was disgusted with herself.</p><p>But the moment those twins busted into the room, screaming at large with their big friend and the red headed friend, she could have sobbed of relief.</p><p>
  <em>They’re alive, they’re alive, they’re okay and they’re alive.</em>
</p><hr/><p>After the madness is over, and the clouds all part in order to let the Summer sun shine down, is when everyone can breathe again.</p><p>Pacifica’s in the shack, packing up what little she brought with her. She watches through the window as Mabel opens her arms and smiles at the sun, as Stan comes from behind her and scoops her up, throwing her over his shoulders while Ford scolds them both with a smile on his face. Wendy comes near him, offering him a soda as Soos starts pretending what she thinks is probably some sort of monster behind Mabel and Stan. It was the perfect summer picture and she couldn’t find it in her heart to look away.</p><p>“Leaving so soon?”</p><p>Dipper’s voice snaps her out of her thoughts and she turns around to look at him and he looks exhausted. Still wearing his battle torn clothes, as he had collapsed asleep when coming back, his hair was a mess and his eyes had bags under them.</p><p>And yet he had woken up and was standing there, smiling at her as if they didn’t watch the world end. Pacifica laughs softly. “I’m the last to leave and you’re accusing me of leaving soon?”</p><p>The moment the weirdness had ended, everyone immediately went in search for friends and family, all of the ones who were disfigured, dragged or frozen had returned to a normal state, which meant that Gravity Falls was back to it’s weird, wonderful self in no time. Pacifica just didn’t have that much of a rush to get back home yet.</p><p>“I’m sorry, bunking with us commoners will bore you eventually,” He quips at her, and she can’t help but roll her eyes, but she’s smiling. “We can’t appease to your taste for much longer.”</p><p>“<em>Pfft</em>, I’m going, I’m going,” She says, swinging the recently bought Mystery Shack backpack over her shoulder. She hadn’t thought of Dipper the way she had nice that night in her closet, (you know, too busy surviving the apocalypse) clutching the hat against her chest as the pounding rain hid her sobs, but as she stands now, the sun gleaning in through the windows, to illuminate him, even pale,somewhat broken and tired, she felt the same butterflies in her stomach. “I’ll catch you around, alright?”</p><p>Dipper’s eyes opt open, looking at her as he uncrossed his arms. “What– that’s it? No remark back?”</p><p>Pacifica looks at him. “I thought you were tired.”</p><p>“I am, that doesn’t mean anything.”</p><p>“Well,” She starts, wanting to make him feel better. If remarks and banter was what he needed for things to feel back to normal, that remarks and banter he would get, it’s the least she could do after his family saved the entire town. “If you or Mabel ever need to revisit what actual class is like, don’t be afraid to knock on our door.”</p><p>Dipper smiles, and it’s something that Pacifica fights incredibly hard against herself to not smile back like an idiot. Because Dipper with his messy hair, and tired eyes and silly birthmark had somehow managed to stay nestled in her thoughts. “I’ll try to not offend you with my presence.” He says,as he waves at her goodbye, climbing back up the stairs for presumably more sleep.</p><p>Pacifica tells herself she’s not disappointed he didn’t hug her or anything when she walks away and the rest of them had hugged her. She tells herself that over and over again until it sticks.</p><p>It doesn’t.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. dipper and paz's nerdy passtime</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>pacifica is more of a nerd than she lets on.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I still say one should watch the prequels.”</p><p>“They suck.”</p><p>“Yes, but they have some nuggets of gold in them, and they shouldn’t be ignored.”</p><p>If you had told Pacifica Northwest years ago that she would be discussing the Star Wars saga and it’s prequels (<em>Because they’re canon, Dipper. You can’t just pretend they don’t exist.</em>) with Gravity Falls resident ghost hunter, and probably professional crazy person, she would hire someone to sock you in the face.</p><p>Yet here she was, lying on the floor of the Mystery Shack’s living room with Dipper Pines eagerly fighting her over whether Anakin Skywalker’s transformation from the lightside to the darkside was needed or not.</p><p>Spoiler alert: it is.</p><p>“You just take away Vader’s threat levels when you realize that he’s only the way he is because of whatever lies Emperor Palpatine told him.”</p><p>“It’s nice to know a villain’s backstory. Makes him more redeemable. And yes, Episode I could have been so much better if Anakin was twenty instead of a nine year old, you know, the way it was originally written, but we have to deal with what we get. Besides you sound like a douchey fanboy when you complain like that.”</p><p>She expected another jab, to keep whatever had started the fight going, but instead she gets Dipper smiling at her, like he knows a secret.</p><p>Which in retrospect, he does now. “I can believe that string of words just came out of your mouth.”</p><p>Pacifica blushes because he’s looking at her like that again and there we go with a million butterflies in her stomach, which she violently kicks down. “What?”</p><p>“Gravity Falls’ own Pacifica Northwest is a Star Wars fan,” He says, as if he can’t believe him. Which he probably can’t. “How did you even discover what Star Wars is? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t <em>I grew up with it</em> or <em>my parents showed it to me</em>.”</p><p>She lets three seconds pass before she answers him, with a scowl. “The Internet is great, you know.” She mumbles, quietly adding. “I also watched the animated series.”</p><p>Dipper roars out a laugh that she’s completely sure wasn’t suppose to come out as loud as it did. “This is great!”</p><p>“This is terrible. Don’t tell anyone.” She tries to sound threatening, but how threatening can one look with reddened cheeks and a messy blonde ponytail? “No one knows.”</p><p>“I know our dirty little secret then?” He grins and she wants to smash it in. “Look, I was going to have a mini marathon watching the original trilogy, want to stay?”</p><p>And suddenly he’s offering her a seat beside him in that big couch and really she shouldn’t; her crush on him is bad enough, his obliviousness is another and Pacifica thinks Mabel is starting to catch on on that boy she told him she liked but didn’t give out a name for this particular reason.</p><p>Yet, she’s sitting down beside him as he presses play on his rundown DVD, heart pounding in his chest. “These better not be the crappy special edition ones.”</p><p>Dipper gasps dramatically.”Pacifica! I would never!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. monster discussions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>taking an interest in the town's more mysterious side.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So what’s the difference between Big Foot and a yeti?”</p><p>“The yeti comes from the Himalayas, Big Foot is a North American Native folklore.”</p><p>“Then what’s a Sasquatch?”</p><p>“Sasquatch is just the universal term for a primate/human hybrid.”</p><p>“Aren’t they all the same thing?”</p><p>Dipper wanted to slam his head against the wooden table.</p><p>He had nothing against teaching Pacifica about the supernatural, heck, he loved teaching people about his passion. It gave him an excuse to hear himself talk on and on about what he loved and not feel any shame about it, which was odd considering the audience.</p><p>She had just chosen a horrible time to ask for it.</p><p>Pacifica had been an unexpected, but welcomed addition to the mystery team– or whatever it was that Mabel and Soos instead they called themselves– and she had a lot of catching up to do.</p><p>Mabel was the one to suggest it, one night as they all said their respective goodbyes by the campfires. “You should totally come with us,” She said over enthusiastically in a way only Mabel can convey. “I mean, you already kinda come anyway, but you know, be official!”</p><p>“I don’t know that much other than ghosts, Mabel,” He hears her say, and a small flush to his cheeks as he remembers the night they had encountered that ghost.</p><p>“Dipper can teach you!”</p><p>And that’s how he found himself missing sleep at 2am, sitting in the table talking about vampires and fairies and ghouls and things that go bump in the night that other kids would consider scary stories but the Pines twins just chalked it up to Tuesday.</p><p>“Is it important where they originate from?” Pacifica asks, eyes darting across the journal’s pages, eating up the information. A book she once had called stupid and now here she was, eager to learn.</p><p>“Well, sometimes it attributes to know their origins to see how one can defeat them,” Dipper says with a yawn. “Depending on the mythos surrounding the creatures, maybe we can find weaknesses.”</p><p>It seemed to be contagious, because immediately after the sentence, Pacifica yawned too, stretching in the chair, causing it to creek. “What time is it?”</p><p>He looks at the clock up the wall and it reads 2:34am, which counts as a miracle considering Stan hasn’t marched down to bark at them to go to sleep. Dipper rubs his eyes, he’s usually one for staying up the night, but he’s exhausted after a day of hauling in merchandise box after merchandise box in Stan’s relentless quest to scam the entire town. “2am.” He replies, sparing her the details.</p><p>“I guess I should go back upstairs,” Pacifica says, starting to stand up, which Dipper finally notices that she was still in her campfire clothes and hadn’t managed to change back into her pajamas.</p><p>Come to think of it, neither had he.</p><p>“Okay,” He replies, too tired to quip or make a witty remark as he stands up from the table.</p><p>“Thanks… For this, you know,” Pacifica says, strangely soft. “I know you don’t like me that much, but–”</p><p>“Who said I didn’t like you?” He asks, a little too quick and loud for his own good, and Pacifica’s staring at him with popped eyes as if she’s surprised that he doesn’t not like her.</p><p>“Well, you’re not– uh– forget it, my brain doesn’t work at this hour,” She says, a quick flush to her cheeks that Dipper almost misses if he weren’t so caught up still in the surprise.</p><p>“I’m sorry if you ever thought that–”</p><p>“Save it, Pines,” Pacifica says, a little more at ease now as she shrugs with a small smile tugged to her face. “We’ll talk about this when we can properly form a sentence.”</p><p>Dipper doesn’t fight her, he knows they’re both tired and they need the rest. Besides, Pacifica was Mabel’s guest, not his, no reason he should keep her up. “Okay, goodnight Paz.”</p><p>Pacifica whipped her head, an arched eyebrow, but it quickly melts into a soft smile that kinda panics Dipper as he thinks it over. “One more question though,” She says, turning around completely. “Where did the vampires drink blood thing come from?”</p><p>And thus, Dipper finds himself explaining for another half hour the Eurocentric vision of vampirism and contrasting it with Central and South America’s version, consisting of creatures like the Chupacabras and sorts.</p><p>He likes having an audience that’s willing to listen to him, especially if that audience is also willing to snap back and look good doing it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. first kiss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>around 17 to 18, dipper and pacifica still tiptoe around each other</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It has to be, easily, the hottest day of the summer– and if luck were a lady, she’d punch him in the face, probably. Dipper Pines has easily got to have the worst heatstroke in the entire history of forever.</p><p>No, and he’s not exaggerating <em>thank you very much.</em></p><p>“It’s hormones, Pines, get over it,” Pacifica tells him from the counter where she’s sharpening her nails with– <em>whatever</em> that thing girls use to sharpen their claws with is called. It’s still weird, having her around in the shop, and she’s actually getting paid. “If you take that stupid plaid shirt off, you’ll feel better, I promise.”</p><p>“Not giving you a free show, Northwest,” He winked, pushing in the final box of inventory in the shop. “I’m sure the sun just decided to be right next to Oregon today just to fuck with us.”</p><p>“Don’t flatter yourself,” She says a faint blush to her cheeks, but still not looking up from her nails. “Yeah, I’m sure the sun just decided to fuck with <em>you</em> in particular today.”</p><p>Dipper rolls his eyes, trying to remember if being stuck with Pacifica Northwest in the shack was either the <em>good</em> or the <em>bad</em> brand of luck; he’s still deciding. “How come you aren’t by the pool like the rest of my traitor family?”</p><p>“I’m not stepping into a public pool.” She offers as if it’s a perfect explanation, which in hindsight, it probably is. He can almost remember a private pool in the Northwest Mansion the very, very few times he’s been over. Always with Mabel, always to probably pick her up.</p><p>“It’s better that way anyway,” He says, gears already shifting in his brain to fire up something to make this day more interesting. She stands up to open a box of merchandise, keep herself busy. He had noticed it was a habit she tended to do a lot. “We can’t have all of those children traumatized, your kind melt near water, don’t they?”</p><p>She throws him one of the shirts she was folding which he manages to quickly take in his hand. He vaguely hears the words ‘<em>loser</em>’ hushed under her breath, but there’s a smile to the corner of her lips which he can see softly that sends something down the pit of his stomach.</p><p>Ever since Mabel had managed to convince Grunkle Stan to give Pacifica a job here, he’s been strangely endeared by her presence. The simple explanation she had given as to why she needed the money had been ‘<em>Reasons</em>,’ but knowing her familial situation, Dipper didn’t push.</p><p>He had gotten used to Pacifica’s presence fast in the shack due to her growing friendship with Mabel, Candy and Grenda over the summers, Dipper hadn’t included himself much in the group feeling a touch out of place, but he did join in every now and then, and it would always surprise him how quick Pacifica was. Tongue like fire, ready to throw verbal jabs at anyone who so much as looked funny at her new friends, <em>(Ironic much</em>?) and still, she continued to surprise him in many ways.</p><p>He mostly liked surprises,being kept on his toes was a fun way to pass the time, of course until he started staring at the ceiling during the nights.</p><p>“Dipper,” Pacifica’s voice pulls him out of his train of thought. “Where should I place these?”</p><p>She carrying a box of disturbingly realistic looking dentures, there’s a slight flash of disgust on her face, which was always a delight. “Give it,” He motions, opening his arms to take the box. “I’m hiding these, these are awful.”</p><p>She gives it without hesitation, although she seems to notice something on his face as she leans in. “Dipper take off your stupid shirt and wipe your face with it, you’re sweating like a sinner in church.”</p><p>He has to laugh at that. Shoving the box by the nearest closet, he does as commanded and removes the red horrid thing. <em>Huh, Paz was right, I feel better. </em>Wiping his face with the shirt, he swings it over an abandoned chair and stays in his black undershirt. “There we go,” Pacifica starts as he walks back in. “Don’t you feel more liberated now?”</p><p>“I still think you just want a free show,” He quips again, watching the same faint blush that crept in from earlier. He would be lying to you if he told you he didn’t find it endearing in some way. Although heaven knows he still hasn’t figured out why.</p><p>The blush is still there, pink and fleeting, but it’s there as he goes back to the register to count up what was made during the day. She’s sitting by the register, and he can practically feel the stare on him. He remembers the first day Paz had seen his arms, covered in tattoos, both from the journal and some personal things here and there. ‘<em>You felt rebellious, dork</em>?’ She had said, voice not being able to mask the way she had`bitten her bottom lip.</p><p><em>Got’cha</em>.</p><p>Dipper isn’t <em>completely</em> dense (no matter what Mabel says); he’s had an inkling Pacifica Northwest has had a crush on him for a while. (Mabel says since they were 13, but he doesn’t think it’s been that long) and Dipper had the hardest time believing it at first because she’s <em>Pacifica</em> and he’s <em>Dipper Pines.</em></p><p>No matter how cool he had played it, he nearly gotten a heart attack the day he saw her ogling at him when she thought he wasn’t looking and heat had crawled up his back and neck. Now, as much as he toyed with her during the day, he was really only nervous to be honest, he had realized one night he was completely fucked when he was staring at the ceiling and the only thing he could envision was her laughter.</p><p><em>Shit</em>.</p><p>He finishes counting the money and stand straight up, causing Pacifica to awkwardly shift back as if she wasn’t staring at his ruins tattoo again. He grins softly as she concentrates back to sharpening her nails.</p><p>White shorts, purple top and a ponytail, Pacifica had pouted when she caught him staring at her. “What?”</p><p>He needs a better conscience since the next thing he does is throwing caution completely out the window, Jiminy Cricket would have had a stroke, honestly. He leaned down a bit and caught her by the chin and softly kissed her, hearing the slight noise of surprise being followed by a soft hum.</p><p>Dipper’s never been good at making the first move, but something about Pacifica makes him <em>bolder</em>, more ready to do things head first and think about them later. It’s probably because he knows her the best; he knows her favorite color, drink, the way she feels when Mabel says she’s part of the family, the color of her eyes, the soft curves of her everything. So he’s surprised when at first she’s frozen completely, lips sealed but not necessarily saying no, so he just presses his softly, not wanting to urge her; making her decide.</p><p>There’s a soft exhale as her hands manage to settle themselves on his shoulders and he’s pushed towards her, he can’t help but half open his eyes to see her, eyes closed and completely trusting as she parts her lips and makes it a proper kiss. He closes his eyes again and wraps his arms around her waist, holding her.</p><p>It takes a while for them to fully separate, the sound of breathing and lips the only thing audible in the entire shack. He’s looking at her like she’s the sun and he’s almost a thousand percent sure he has the stupidest grin on his face because of how Paz is smiling back at him, slowly turning into a small fit of giggling.</p><p>“Who knew I could make your toes curl?”</p><p>She softly hits his shoulder but plants her forehead against his. “Idiot,” She says in a soft exhale, but she’s smiling and Dipper feels something in his chest strike because wow. “Mabel’s going to have a field day when she sees the security footage.”</p><p>Dipper’s eyes widened and he blushes, darting his gaze to the security camera’s over Pacifica’s head. He hears her laugh. “So, you think this is funny?” He raises an eyebrow.</p><p>‘Well, you were so confident, and now that you know you’ve been caught you retreat.”</p><p>He smiles at her, quickly kissing her again before placing a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “I’ll deal with that later.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes but didn’t let go. “Of course you will.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. steaming mirrors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>dipper and pacifica have a game they love to play.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dipper’s not exactly sure how this had started, but all he knows is that he and Pacifica had started– whatever the hell this is, but he knows that there’s a slight part of him that enjoys this more than he should.</p><p>She’s staring down at him again through the mirror she’s facing, he had caught her checking her hair and had thought ’<em>Perfect</em>’ with a wicked grin to his face, as he had snaked behind her and had almost pinned her down.</p><p><em>Almost</em>.</p><p>No part of his body is touching her, at all, puberty had just blessed him with being big and looming, or at least bigger and more looming than her. He had a feeling she would be avoiding everyone as much as she could, which is why he took it upon himself to find her amidst the big mansion. “You know,” He tells her, passing a hand through his now messy hair. “I know you don’t enjoy this party, but hiding from everyone isn’t going to solve anything.”</p><p>Her eyes look up as she bit her lower lip, slowly exhaling through her nose. She’s not moving away though, wanting to play this game as much as he did. “Just give me a minute,” She breathes, pushing herself back against him. <em>Keep going.</em> The motion says, so Dipper complies.</p><p>Their eyes meet through the mirror and he properly looks at her for the first time in the night. She’s wearing a beautiful one strap white dress which hangs perfectly against her, her hair pinned up in a messy bun as various strands of curled blonde frame her face. “You look beautiful,” He says, his breath down the back of her neck. She shivers, he can see it on their reflection.</p><p>Her back is against his chest and he can feel every breath and it’s the moment they realize that this is the closest they’ve been during the game. Every time they participate in this little game that should be dubbed ’<em>break the tension</em>’, the closest they had approximated each other had been face to face, and yet here they stood, a tiny body curled to his in one of the hidden hallways of the enormous Northwest Mansion.  "Thank you,“ She says and he slowly places a hand on her arm, leaning his head against the sleeveless part of her dress. “Shouldn’t Mabel be looking for you?”</p><p>“She should be occupied at the moment,” He says, remembering that the last time he saw her, she and Candy had been chatting up some foreign prince or another. “Do you want me to leave?”</p><p>“No,” She says quickly, in a hushed voice only he can hear. They’re so close. “Stay.”</p><p>“As you wish,” He complies, hovering over her shoulder, looking up catching her gaze in the mirror. “Anything in particular you want?” He’s so close to breaking, so so so close to lean down and finally taste her skin, her porcelain skin that looks cool to the touch, which tempts him.</p><p>And if anything can be told by the way her breath hitches as he breathes softly on her freckled shoulder, she’s just on the edge as he is. “<em>Please</em>.”</p><p>He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t want this moment to break, to be ruined, so instead he leans lower, kissing her shoulder and her eyes nearly close, through a half lidded stare she looks back at him, mouth semi open and her cheeks flushed. He feels heat crawl up his back, the suit he’s wearing suddenly feeling too tight.</p><p>They hear a shuffling of slippers and shoes and he hadn’t realized how relaxed her body had been against his until she tensed at the sound. With a soft noise, he separates his kiss from her but keeps his other hand on his arm, the other moving to her waist. “We,” He says, his voice suddenly rasped. “We should get going.”</p><p>She nods, repeating a small ’<em>Yeah</em>,’ before turning around. She grabbed his tie softly and plays with it before composing herself. “Meet me by the garden in an hour.”</p><p>Dipper would walk over hot coal right now if she asked. He nods dumbly. “Okay.”</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. disco girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>dance like no one's watching!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He wouldn’t do this if they were in any other circumstance, he swears on his grave, which is currently being dug up because he is positive he might die of embarrassment.</p><p>“Paz,” He says, nearly begging her. “Is this necessary?”</p><p>The smile that plays on her features, soft and conniving insinuates that yes, this is <em>completely</em> necessary.</p><p>“When grunkle Stan mentioned the ‘<em>Disco Girl</em>’ incident,” She recounts, holding a finger up. “You promised you’d show me what he was talking about, now put on a show, pretty boy.”</p><p>“I wasn’t talking about that,” He says, brows in a furrow as his cheeks get redder by the second. “I meant this.” He nearly spits out, tugging at the pink shirt with the words <b>DISCO GIRL</b> patterned in bright, glittered purple. He assumes Mabel is involved someway or another.</p><p>“It adds character.”</p><p>“They’re going to find my body dead with this on,” He let’s go of his shirt and places his sweaty palms on his jeans. “You’re going to have to explain that to the cops.” He waved an accusatory finger at her.</p><p>It didn’t have the wanted effect, instead making her laugh. “ ‘<em>Sorry, Officer, he couldn’t handle the groove.’</em> How does that sound?”</p><p>“I hate you,” He doesn’t mean it, not in the slightest. “So much right now.”</p><p>“Move to the groove, boy,” She exaggerates, turning the song on. His room suddenly felt cramped while Pacifica sat on Mabel’s bed with her arms crossed, smirking at her. “I want my money’s worth.”</p><p>“Are you suggesting I dance for you, Pacifica Northwest,“ He grins at her sheepishly. “Like some Chippendale pretty boy?”</p><p>“You’ve been there?” She spits right back, causing him to blush. He forgets how quick her tongue is. “Show me a routine.”</p><p>He decides to play to her demands, swaying his hips to the music with his arm circling up in a also movement. “Boys call this one <em>the cowboy,</em>” He snickered, feeling completely and utterly ridiculous as he grooved to old Scandinavian pop top 40′s BABBA to the most rhythm a boy with two left feet could muster. </p><p>He swears that if it weren’t for that laugh that erupts from her, so ernest and sincere, he would never do this for anyone else. But, he counts, in his lifetime he’s done pretty stupid things for girls before. </p><p>So what’s a little hurt pride for the best of them? </p><p>“<em>Disco girl</em>,” He sings, pointing at her as he shimmies his way towards her. “<em>Coming through</em>,” A nice twirl. “<em>That girl is you.” </em></p><p>He sees Pacifica stand up and shimmy her way beside him. “<em>Oh, ohhhh, oh, ohhhh</em>.” She adds, dancing better than him as she sways back and forth. </p><p>He can’t help but laugh, looking at her as if the galaxies swirl around her, even in ridiculous BABBA tunes. “You’re evil,” He snickers, catching her and kissing her cheek. </p><p>“You <em>love</em> it.” </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. how anger grows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>sometimes rage isn't enough.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“My parents want me to go upstate for college,” She says through winced words as she watches Mabel’s face fall completely. Dipper’s sitting beside her and if you didn’t know they were twins, you wouldn’t ever guess it. “In three days.”</p><p>The thing about anger and sadness is that it expresses itself differently in different individuals. Mabel’s anger and sadness is loud. There’s a banging of her feet on the floor as she shot up the swing chair they’re sitting on, there’s a huff of breathes as she tries to collect her words. “They’re not even— how do you– do you even want–” And when she can’t find the words, there’s the sob that finally manages to rip itself out of her throat, raw and feeling.</p><p>Pacifica can’t decipher the look that passes between the Pines but she knows it means something monumental. Mabel looks at her and takes a deep breath, wiping her tear stained cheeks as she turns and walks away.</p><p>She places a foot forward to go after her best friend but Dipper’s hand in mid air stops her.</p><p>Because now there’s Dipper’s.</p><p>His anger is cold, he’s sitting still on the now unmoving bench but Pacifica knows he’s anything but tranquil. His hands are balled into fists as his back tenses. His teeth are grit but his mouth is shut. His eyes have an intensity to them that Pacifica swears they are seeing right through her skull.</p><p>Mabel’s anger is <em>declining</em>, starting with a bang and ending in a soft whimper. Dipper’s is <em>escalating</em>, starting with the calm before the storm. “They’re not even letting you celebrate our birthday with us?” Is the first thing he says after what felt like ages. “They can’t just fucking rip you away from here like that–” </p><p>“Dipper, I–” </p><p> “I bet you dont even want to go,” He says, looking up but not standing. Pacifica’s not sure if he can without breaking something, his fists now shaking. “You told Mabel you wanted to go south, somewhere closer to Florida,” He says, voice amping up a few volumes, but he still isn’t screaming. “They can’t fucking just dictate you like that.” </p><p> She wants to say that he’s right, she wants to sit beside him and tell him that she knows that this is unfair and that she agrees and that she does want to go near Florida because the Pines twins are her best friends and since family is who you choose, they’re also her family. But she can’t move. She’s glued to looking at him with her arms crossed and her knees weak. “Dipper, I can’t– I want to–” </p><p> There’s so much I want to tell you but I can’t do it. I can’t move my lips, my tongue feels heavy. I feel so useless.</p><p>“Pacifica,” He says and even if it’s her own name it feels too harsh coming from him like that. “What happened to standing up against your parents?” </p><p>Now she was getting mad. Who the hell was he to tell her how to live her life? “Dipper, it’s not that fucking easy,” She spits out, arms uncrossing themselves and standing still at her sides. “You try going against years of abuse!” </p><p>Which something must have crossed through Dipper’s head cause she sees him pause, but not shut up. “Pacifica I know, I’m sorry I just,” He’s trying to find the words, Pacifica can nearly see him literally trying to grasp them. “Mabel has done so much better with you and the girls, and <em>God</em>, you make everything better when you’re around,  I don’t know how to explain it, there’s–”</p><p>“So <em>what</em>?” Pacifica snaps, anger running through her veins hot and ready to strike. She’s angry, she’s needy, she doesn’t have her thoughts straight as she just throws up words, as if they could shield her from the pain she was hiding, running away from. “Am I just a coping mechanism? I have my own issues too, Dipper, do you think this is easy for me? Mabel has at least Candy and Grenda with her, she’ll be fine. What’s it going to be if only one of us is missing?”</p><p>“<em>What about me</em>?”</p><p>She doesn’t know when he had stood up, but now he’s looking down at her,  hands desperately gripping her upper arms and he’s shaking. His eyes are rimmed with the tears that threatened to spill and suddenly everything feels too real, too raw. “<em>Goddamnit</em>, Pacifica, I love you so <em>fucking</em> much, I can’t fucking <em>stand</em> it,” His voice is nearly breaking with every word he says and Pacifica is just standing there, hearing him, witnessing this. “Every time you’re around I feel better, there’s nothing that could bring me down if you’re beside me and I know for a fact that you’ve done better with me around,”</p><p>“Dipper, I–”</p><p>He interrupts her, which she doesn’t mind. She knows how the Dipper Pines train of thought travels, at a million miles per hour, and if you don’t let him spill as soon as possible, he never will. “I’m not trying to guilt you into anything, I am so so sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, I just didn’t want to lose you as a friend. I love having you around, hearing you laugh, I love being useful to you when you cry, I feel nervous and brave around you, you make me want to dive head first into things, but also take the most precautions possible,” His voice gets lower and lower with each confession wrenched out of him and Pacifica can’t breath.</p><p>She opens her mouth, as if to say something but no words come out. There are so many things she wants to tell him. <em>I don’t want to leave. I wanna be around you two. I want to be there when Grenda marries Marius, when Candy wins a noble prize, when Mabel launches her first fashion line,</em> And in the middle of her epiphany, Dipper holds her face between his trembling, nervous hands. He’s holding her as if she’s porcelain. She feels so close to breaking. <em>God, and I want you by my side. I want to see you with your ghost hunting plans, I want you to be there when I start my own business, I want your hand in mine and to wrap my arms around you when you get nightmares.</em></p><p>So in that specter of a second, Pacifica makes a choice. She quickly wraps her arms around Dipper’s neck and interrupts him with a kiss. They’re both heaving, there’s too much emotion in this. The tip of her nose an feel his wet cheek and his thumb wiped away a tear.</p><p>There are so many roads ahead of them, but for now, they have this moment in time they can call theirs.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. reverse falls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>sometimes dreamscapes reveal more than we'd like them too.</p><p>yes,it's inspired by Labyrinth (1986)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She doesn’t recall how she got here, the entire walk from where she opened her eyes to her feeling like a daze, one step after the other as if she was walking on air.</p><p>There’s music tilting up, a soft piano rift as strangers watch her walk. All masked, tall and imposing, dressed in dresses and suits, the entire room sparkling in a sharp motion. She’s in a white ballroom, nearly blinding. The music swells up, the men and women pairing up in various forms, yet a small crowd parts like the red sea.</p><p>Her eyes finally land on him, waiting for her in the center of the crowd, hand stretched out to her.</p><p>The music changes to a waltz, Pacifica doesn’t have time to contemplate as she takes the hand. A dance starts.</p><p>“You look beautiful,” He says, twirling her into his grasp, hand respectfully on her backless white gown. It’s now that she finally notices her attire, she’s wearing a white dress, backless, long sleeved and low neck, just above the start of her cleavage. Her hair is up in a bun, a few curled strands of hair sticking out. “Absolute breathtaking.”</p><p>And he sounds like it too, as if the wind was taken from him. His blue eyes seem more electrifying as he slowly dips her to the music, causing her to take a soft breath. “T-Thank you.”</p><p>He nods, slowly pushing her back up. Pacifica has always been accurately aware of Dipper’s infatuation for her, as if she hadn’t share some of it before. He presses their bodies together as the dance requires. She places her manicured (?) hand on his shoulder. “We should be safe here.” He says in a low hushed tone.</p><p>“Where are we?” Pacifica asks, as Dipper turns her, back against his chest. The reflection of the them that plays off the white, nearly shinning walls is too much.</p><p>“We’re in my mindscape,” He explains, holding her gently. “It’s the only place that I’ve charmed enough hold Bill out.”</p><p>She calculates his words. “How powerful is he?” Feeling the sway of his arm around her, to twirl her back to him.</p><p>“He’s more powerful than any demon we’ve encountered,” He says, and Pacifica can tell his pride is hurt by the way he accidentally grips her hand tighter. Upon noticing his mistake, he lets go.“Mabel is protecting your cousin right now on her mindscape. It’s not as strong as mine, but you’re the one in danger.“ </p><p>Pacifica grimaces. She doesn’t want to run from Bill, she’s never ran from anything in her life.</p><p>“You have the third journal,”</p><p>“–And you have the second,” She adds.</p><p>“Which makes us both targets,” Dipper says, as they both finish their dance flushed against eachother. The crowd around them bows. They both separate and give a curtsy to eachother. He offers his arm. “Walk with me.”</p><p>She doesn’t suppose she has much of a choice in the matter, so she nods and intertwines her arm in his. </p><p> The ballroom is spectacularly beautiful, scintillating walls and lovely sculptures, a scenery worthy of a thousand paintings. Dipper walks with her towards a wall length window, overlooking to a garden, resembling the ones in Versailles. All glamour and pompadour. “Is your mind always this gallant?” </p><p> “Only the parts I want you to see,” His voice is low and his gaze is focused on the garden outside. A masked woman approaches them and offers two glasses of champagne and he takes them gracefully, offering one to Pacifica. She takes it but doesn’t sip. His words echo in her head, taunting. She’s always been aware of the edge of danger that Dipper has around him, calling her like a moth to a flame. </p><p>“What’s  the rest of it look like?” He takes a sip of his glass and twirls the body of it between his fingers.</p><p> “Dark, haunting,” He manages. “Not something I’d want you to witness.” </p><p>Pacifica has always believed that there is good inside of people, no matter what. She’s seen what Mabel and Dipper are capable, pure raw energy coursing through them like lighting. She has learned to fear them at their most powerful, but she also sees the light. It’s small, but powerful, the source of good that they are capable of. “Dipper, I–”</p><p> “Bill’s the most powerful creature we’ve ever encountered,” He says, eyes focused hard on the window, eyebrows furrowed, his slicked back hair making his birthmark stand out. “The journals warn us of him, but not enough.” </p><p>“Hey, hey,” She hushes, tugging at his arm. “This is enough, we just have to find a way to fight back,” Her eyes drift towards his stiff body, while one hand is holding onto hers, the other is gripping the glass. Pacifica has never seen him this vulnerable before. </p><p> His eyes drift back up to her. “We can’t go back,” He enunciates, his voice sounding more and more desperate by the second. “He’s too powerful, I’ve never encountered power like this before.”</p><p> It’s unnerving to hear him say that, Pacifica concurs, but she doesn’t give up. “We’ll find a way, between our combined journals, we can–” </p><p> He interrupts her by taking her hand in his and looking into her eyes. “Stay with me, here.”</p><p> “We–” She’s collecting her words, careful of what to say. “We can’t leave Gravity Falls to be completely taken by Bill’s madness.”</p><p> “Yes we can,” His voice is dark, taking on an edged tone. This is not the dipper she has banter with, this is someone completely new, yet oddly familiar. This is the threat, this is the power. “We can build our own world here,” As if to emphasize his point, a necklace with a simple diamond charm materializes out of thin air into his hands. “We can build from the ashes of the old world a better one. You beside me to make the better of us.” </p><p> She stares at him as if he’s gone mad. She’s never seen him this afraid before, this ready to leave a situation and run away from the threat. “No, Dipper,” </p><p>“Please,” His voice is nearly breathless as he looks at her, as if she holds the key to the answers she desperately seeks. “Mabel and Gideon are safe, there is no point in going back. Stay here, with me.” </p><p> She wants to slap him, to snap him out of it. She knows about Dipper’s feelings for her, whether they be love or hate. She feels them in the way he has pinned her down against a tree trunk in the dark of night, hands holding her up by her thighs as she ranks her hands through his hair, as words of tension and stances of pride melt away until it’s just her and him kissing under the stars. Dipper, the boy with the fire in his eyes. That’s the Dipper she wants by her side, fighting with her against the threats that await them. “No,” She says in a deep breath. </p><p>The necklace disappears now and he’s holding her wrists, he’s not hurting her physically, but the way he’s looking at her wounds her more than words ever could, she aches for him. “I don’t want to lose you.” The confession nearly slips off his tongue.</p><p> “You won’t,” She says, leaning into him. “If we make it out of this, if– when we bet this demon, and everything goes back to normal, this has to stop.” His eyes widened at first, panicked, but she continues. “No more games, no more banter, just you and me, Dipper, to see if we can make this work.” </p><p> There’s a new light to him, she wants to vaguely assume it’s hope. “After all this time?” </p><p> She bites her lower lip. “I–” </p><p> A loud crash shatters the room, the strangers in the minds ape either disappearing or dispatching, all running different directions the walls of the ballroom starts cracking, as if the small illusion in which they’re held shatters. A looming voice lingers. “Well, well, well, well, well,” Bill Cypher enters the room, blue fire to his hands. “I gotta admit, Not-Pine-Tree, you got me going,” He waves his hands around, in a vague gesture. “Charms and incantations, spells and telepathy? You and your sister are more of a handful than the other Pines.” His form becomes bigger and the ballroom vanishes, and it’s just black space all around them. She feels Dipper push her back, behind him. His hands glow that blue she’s become to accustomed to, stance ready to strike. “Now, the journals.” </p><p>It’s enough. Pacifica isn’t one to run away from a fight. She closes her eyes and materializes to her familiar neon colored jacket and leggings. “Oh yeah?” She says, stepping aside from Dipper and standing beside him. “Come and get, you freak.”</p><p> Bill laughs. “Oh, I <em>like</em> you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. secret dating</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>mabel gets curious as to why her brother keeps coming home so late.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mabel has noticed that something’s been off about her brother these last couple of days. His mind has been wandering, he comes late home with a dropped head and quickly sneaks into his room. There’s a part of her that wants to give him his privacy, being both sixteen and still sharing a room and all, but Stan and Ford have been having a hard time making more room, so they shared for the meantime.</p><p>And even if she loathes to admit, a small part of her feels betrayed that whatever secret Dipper has, she hasn’t been informed of.</p><p>Mabel and Dipper have been sharing secrets ever since she can remember. He’s covered for her when she’s snuck out to meet friends. He’s helped her in when she comes home sometimes drunk and keeps it all hushed. Dipper is really the best brother anyone could ask for, which in retrospect, she realizes that hey, maybe he’s entitled to keep some secrets.</p><p>Dipper has always been more private than her, keeping more to himself than she has. It’s always been like that, ever since she can remember. But now, as he comes to their room late, (Is it 3am?) and Mabel can’t help it.</p><p>“Where were you?”</p><p>She can’t see him because of how dark their room is but she can tell he’s nervous by the way everything shuffles as he clumsily tries to make his to his twin matress. “I– uh– why are you awake?” </p><p> “I wasn’t,” She says, squinting her eyes, trying to see if she could make him out from the darkness. “You’re not as stealthy as you think you are.” </p><p> The vague outline she can tell out shrugs. “Sorry, Mabel.” </p><p> She shrugs too, lying down again. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” He says almost too fast for his liking, so Mabel doesn’t buy it all. But she also doesn’t push, whatever secret he’s hiding, when he’s ready, he’ll tell her. </p><p>That is, he would have, if she hadn’t walked in him and <em>Pacifica Northwest </em>making out down by the lake. </p><p>“<em>Hot Belgian waffles</em>!” Mabel can’t resist, going from surprised to giddy in a matter of seconds. She hadn’t expected to find him– let alone with <em>her</em>– by the lake. “Dipper Pines, you dog!” </p><p>His first reaction is panic, as it usually is and she would be lying if it wasn’t hilarious to find both of them with their eyes blown wide open. “<em>Mabel</em>!” Dipper’s the first one to talk as he stands up, his hair tousled and his cheeks flushed. Pacifica keeps still on the blanket they were sitting on, looking down while nervously blushing her hair. “"Who– <em>what</em> are you doing here?” </p><p>“Candy, Grenda and me were coming to tan,” Mabel says, grinning with her hands on her hips. “"I could ask you the same thing.”</p><p>He looks at Pacifica nervously then back at her, mouth resembling a fish. Pacifica speaks up. “Where are Candy and Grenda?”</p><p>Mabel points behind her. “They’re getting the stuff out of the car,” And with that Pacifica quickly stands up, taking the basket they had brought with them and and storming beside Mabel. “Dipper get the blanket.” She says, hurrying towards the car. </p><p>When Mabel looks back at Dipper, he’s staring back at her, with a scowl. “Mabel, she doesn’t wanna go public yet because of her parents,” He offers as an explanation. He leans down to take the blanket and pat the sand away. “I’ll explain it all when I get home, I swear, but please, <em>please</em> don’t tell anyone about this.”</p><p>Mabel feels bad about ruining whatever it is they had right now, but she nods in understand,net. “My lips are sealed, bro-bro.” she says, making a zipping motion to her mouth. “I’m sorry for ruining… <em>Whatever</em> it was you were doing.” </p><p>Dipper blushes, scratching the back of his head. “"Yeah, it’s okay. I’ll see you tonight, okay?” </p><p>Mabel watches her brother run after the blonde, who was already boarding a big car. I<em>t’s okay DipDop</em>, She thinks as she watches him reach her and kiss her forehead, wiping what seemed to be a tear. <em>Go make her happy</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. grenda's engagement</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>at a party to celebrate grenda's engagement, young adult shenanigans ensue.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You know,” Mabel starts, as Candy puts the car an parking. “I don’t know who’s worse at pretending they don’t have emotions, Paz or Dipper.”</p><p>“I resent that,” Pacifica says from the backseat, arms crossed in anger. “What are you talking about?”</p><p>“It’s not like we’re blind, Pacifica,” Candy adds, clearly not helping the situation. Why have enemies with friends like these? “The way you and Dipper bicker and compete about everything is not subtle. At first it was cute, but…”</p><p>“It’s exhausting after a while,” Grenda speaks up next to her and Pacifica has to tilt her head up to look at her. It’s as if they all shot up since puberty and she stayed smaller. “Not as fun as it was.”</p><p>“I don’t want anything to do with your dork brother,” Pacifica persists, knowing it’s an outright lie at this point, but she’ll go to hell and back before she gives Mabel even the slightest hint that she’s right. Last time she did that she had to live with her gloating for two months. “End of story.”</p><p>“Fine,” Mabel says as Candy turns off the car. “We’re here to celebrate Grenda’s engagement the anyway!”</p><p>To this, the big girl finally manages to blush, something Pacifica thinks she’s never seen before but looks good on her. “Guys, we’re only engaged, we’re not getting married until we’re 24,” She says, sliding out of the car, Pacifica right behind her. “Something about Marius’ customs and stuff, besides, I want to finish my degree first.”</p><p>“I’m proud of you, Grenda,” Candy says, taking her by the arm. “Wanting to finish your studies first, then get married to rich, handsome boy.”</p><p>“Besides,” Mabel interjects, taking Grenda by her other arm, Pacifica prefers going along them,mall walking in a straight line. “Wendy managed to rent out an entire side of the bar for us,not celebrate!”</p><p>Grenda had insisted it was still too early for a bachelorette party, so they had decided to throw an engagement party instead, renting out the best bar in town. When they get inside, the part that was rented for the party was already full, friends and family aside, it seemed like most of the town was there. “Aw yeah!” Mabel exclaims, catching sight of her grunkles and Soos. “Let’s get this party started, everyone on the Mabel train!” She quickly loses herself among the crowd, Pacifica being used to her disappearing like that.  </p><p>Candy and Grenda make their way to a table where she follows behind them. Wendy, Tambry, Soos and other people sitting around sipping their drinks and congratulating. “I’m going to go get us another round,” She says, receiving a nod from Grenda as she turns around– nearly crashing into Dipper.</p><p>“Sorry I’m late,” He says, huffing as if he had ran here. “I had a thing and another thing and–”</p><p>“It’s okay, Dipper,” Candy says, waving away the excuses. “Important thing is that you’re here.”</p><p>“Yeah, wait till Mabel sees you, she’s going to kill you, you know,” Grenda adds, making Pacifica look at him. Oh man, Dipper’s shirt was wrecked.</p><p>“Did you get into a hunting incident on your way here?” Pacifica asks, Dipper wiping his head as if he finally noticed she was here.</p><p>There’s a faint blush on his cheeks as he shakes his head. “Um, yeah– uh– maybe, so–”</p><p>“Save it,” Pacifica grins, rolling her eyes. “Ford told me you’d do this, there’s a shirt waiting for you on their car.” He visibly sighs in relief. “Now, get going so you can help me bring over the next round.” And with a quick nod, Dipper nearly sprints away between the crowd, running towards Ford’s car.</p><p>She doesn’t say anything as Candy and Grenda grin at her, Wendy quickly swiping them into conversation with a wink at her direction, which Pacifica will always be grateful for.</p><p>Ever since Weirdmaggedon, Pacifica had formed an odd friendship with almost the entirety of the Mystery Shack crew. Even with striking an immediate friendship with Mabel, Candy and Grenda, she had quickly warmed up to Soos, Stan and Ford. But the biggest surprise for her had to be Wendy, who had once day found her weeping on the roof of the shack and had sat beside her, saying nothing, just being a comfortable presence.</p><p>Pacifica is almost sure that Wendy knows more about everything than she’s letting on, which is what makes her so cool in her eyes to begin with. “<em>You know,</em>” She remembers Wendy telling her one day as Pacifica stopped by the shack, the twins outside loading some merchandise. “<em>He’s not as awkward as he used to be. You should totally go for it</em>.”</p><p>Which of course had caused Pacifica to nearly heave. “<em>What do you mean</em>?”</p><p>Wendy, being the all knowing entity that she probably is only grinned at her with a raised eyebrow. “<em>I know these things take time, and I won’t pressure you,</em>” She starts, leaning her elbows against the counter. “<em>But Dipper’s a great guy, so if you really wanna jump his bones as much as you look like you do, I say go for it.</em>”</p><p>She wanted to bury her head in the sand. “<em>Can we please not talk about this</em>?”</p><p>Wendy laughed and somehow, suddenly, having someone else know about her secret crush felt like more weight off her shoulders. “<em>Sure, kid</em>,” She says, clutching her stomach. “I<em>’m just saying, you know, if you ever need some advice or anything, don’t be afraid to ask.</em>”</p><p>And that was how Pacifica found herself with a big sister, because having Mabel and the girls around was great, but there was a certain comfort of having a sibling– even if it’s just like feeling you have one– that was more special.</p><p>She makes it to the bar as she orders Mike the bartender another round, gingerly waiting for them to be brought up, watching her nails, watching the party unfold into whatever hurricane of fun Mabel had planned.</p><hr/><p>He’s not expecting to hear Wendy approach as he finishes changing his shirt in the bar’s parking. “You scared the shit out of me,” He says, holding his chest as Wendy laughs.</p><p>“You’re as smooth as they come, Dipper,” She says, sitting by the trunk of her old pickup truck, Dipper shrugs his shirt on and goes to her. If she came all the way out here, she must be wanting to talk about something, and he has a good feeling on what it is before his butt even makes it to the trunk. “So, you gonna do it?”</p><p>He rolls his eyes, placing his hands on his pockets. “I’m twenty, Wendy, I don’t need you mothering me.”</p><p>“You’re so grumpy after you fight a big, ugly monster,” Wendy teases, ruffling his hair. “You know, it’s cute watching you and Pacifica dance around each other, but enough is enough, the tension’s so thick you could cut it with a knife.”</p><p>“You got all that from one interaction, Sherlock Holmes?”</p><p>Wendy hits him playfully on his shoulder. “Look, Dip, all I’m saying is that I’ve seen you two do this weird ass version of a tango for way too long, and apparently so has everyone else except the two of you,” She adds, plopping his hat back on. “So hop to it before someone else does.”</p><p>Dipper has to resist the urge to laugh. “I’m going, I’m going just–” He stops mid sentence, trying to use his words, with his mouth. You know, before he barfs them all up in a string of nervous sentences. “What if she doesn’t–”</p><p>Wendy interrupts him before he can continue. “Trust me, she will.”</p><p>“And you’re <em>positive</em> about this?” He asks, leaning away from the trunk, making the move to stand up.</p><p>“About ninety nine point nice percent,” Wendy replies, making her way to the bar before he did. He watches her walk away and takes a deep breath.</p><p><em>Okay</em>, He says. <em>Here we go</em>.</p><hr/><p>She shouldn’t have overestimated the amount of beers she had to buy because Mike’s alone at the bar and unfortunately he’s not quick enough. So Pacifica is stuck hearing Elthon– Ernest– Ethan? Whatever the hell his name is talking.</p><p>Even though she very explicitly said, many times she <em>wasn’t</em> interested.</p><p>“Ah, come on,” He says again, motioning to touch her (<em>again</em>) which she had stomped on with her heel to his foot before. She leans away, already having three beers in hand, not wanting to fall on the floor. “A cute thing like you? And feisty too, come one gimme a chance.”</p><p>“No,” She says, as icily as her voice could. Never let it be said that the Northwests hadn’t taught her anything worthy of her time, it was just a handful that’s all. “Now go away. I’m here with friends.”</p><p>“Let me help you with that.” He says, motioning to take one of the beers still on the counter, to which Pacifica shook her head, placing herself in front of them.</p><p>“I’ll be fine, now please get the fuck away from me.”</p><p>“Is there a <em>problem</em> here?”</p><p>Pacifica has been accurately aware of how puberty has finally blessed Dipper throw out the years, but he looks massive behind the blonde douche who kept trying to corner her. Said douche turned around and underestimated him. “Everything’s fine here, friend.”</p><p>“Don’t call me your friend,” He says, eyes darting tomPacifica, who even though feels a bit heated under the stare, she nods, letting him know she’s fine, only annoyed. “Now knowing Pacifica and from what I can tell by the dent in your shoes, Pacifica has asked you, many times, to leave. Now why don’t you?”</p><p>“Who are you anyway, you freak?” The man says, Pacifica already feeling sorry for him. Stepping aside, Pacifica hands Dipper the glasses she was holding and gets the other three on her hands.</p><p>“He’s with me, now let’s go.” Pacifica says, turning around and leaving the man behind, leaving Dipper to do the same.</p><p>That is, what would have happened if this man apparently didn’t have a death wish. “Fine, if you hangs with freaks like that, you must be into pretty weird shit too, tramp.”</p><p>All Pacifica manages to hear after that, before she turned around is the shattered beer glasses and what seemed to be a punch to the face. The music doesn’t stop, the bar too big for anyone to see the scene that was made, but when Pacifica turns around, Stan and Ford were already making their way through the crowd, apparently having had seen the entire thing from afar.</p><p>“Nice right hook kid,” Stan says, trying to get Dipper off him. “But enough’s enough, come on.”</p><p>When he stands up, the only evidence of even a fight on Dipper was the beer spilled on his shirt and his messy hair, the other guy was wrecked though, a swollen eye left as a nasty scar. “Out,” Ford says quickly, throwing him out, “No need for the likes of you, this is celebration.”</p><p>Stan says some words that sound like he’s reprehending him, but the grin on his face and the pat on Dipper’s back give it away completely. “Stay out of trouble for the rest of the night, kid. Remember, this party ain’t about you.”</p><p>Dipper laughs. “Sure, Grunkle Stan.”</p><p>With a quick word between them that Pacifica doesn’t manage to hear, they walk away back to the booth they were at, the party going back to normal rather quickly. Apparently this bar has seen its share of fights to know when a real one was happening and just decided this was dangerous enough.</p><p>Dipper looks at her with an embarrassed smile. “Sorry,”</p><p>She rolled her eyes. “I had that handled, you know.”</p><p>Dipper makes it to the counter again, ordering three more for the ones he dropped, paying Mike extra for the shattered glasses. “I know,” He says, as Mike nods at him. “I just kinda lost it. Sorry for that.”</p><p>“You’re a ticking time bomb,” Pacifica grins. “Let me get these up to the table, okay?” She says, motioning to the glasses she held. He nods, letting her go her way.</p><hr/><p>When Mike finally gives him the three owed ones, Wendy takes them from him. “Go talk to her before you nearly ruin Grenda’s party again.” She says. “You’re just lucky Mabel has been all this time backstage planning a cake thing or something or else she’d be chewing your ear off.”</p><p>Dipper sighs, realizing that she’s right. Wendy winks at him and walks away, realizing that Pacifica was making her way back, and Wendy must have told her something because Pacifica also blushes when she passes right by her.</p><p><em>Weird</em>.</p><p>“So,” Pacifica says, leaning on the counter beside him. She’s so close, and even though he literally punched a guy out earlier, the adrenaline he feels right now can’t be compared. “Let’s get you cleaned up. You smell like booze.”</p><p>He can’t help but grin at her. “You wanna see me out of it, Paz?”</p><p>She laughs, but bites her lower lip. “Do you like inflating your ego or do you let others do it for you?”</p><p>It doesn’t go unnoticed, heat crawling up his back as he leans away from the counter, Pacifica dragging him behind her with her hand. “Both are good.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. confessions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>listen to "cemetary" by say anything as you read this one, trust me</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He shifts the car into parking as they sit still under the pouring rain, it’s heavy and pelting and it’s probably the hardest he’s seen all summer.</p><p>Pacifica’s sitting still, arms tucked and a scowl on her features. He’s gripping the wheel tight in his hands because he doesn’t know whether to drive straight through the Northwest gate or to let Paz eventually call her parents so they open.</p><p>Right now, he’d rather it be neither.</p><p>“So <em>what</em>,” He says into the cold, dead air. The radio had gone silent for a while, and the only audible thing was their conjoined breathing. “You’re just going to let your parents forbid you from seeing us?”</p><p>“You say like I want this to happen,” She says and there’s a bitterness in her voice that tastes like venom. It’s ugly and dirty, it doesn’t feel like her. “There’s no reasoning with them. They threatening to cut my college fund. I need to get out of that place, Dipper, I’m sorry.”</p><p>He knows that she doesn’t want this. He knows that there’s nothing she wants more than escape that fucking house with it’s fucking big and looming walls and it’s fucking haunting paintings and he hates it, he hates every single thing about this but there’s nothing he can do. He can’t fight the Northwests on his own, he’s not that big. </p><p>He’s being selfish, accusing her that she’s the one doing this. Because he’s an asshole and he recognizes that none of this is in neither of their control. He sighs and let’s go of the wheel, his fingers slowly uncletching from the nearly life threatening grip he held on them. When had his knuckles gotten white? </p><p>She doesn’t say anything. Of course she doesn’t, there’s nothing to say, right? He’s only a friend. Mabel’s the one who suffered when Pacifica told them about this. Mabel’s the one who clutched to her and Pacifica in return as tears were shed. Mabel was the one who asked him to drive her back to the house because she swears that if she saw Preston and Priscilla she would probably punch them. It was Mabel who lost a best friend…</p><p>… so why the <em>fuck </em>did he feel so empty and angry? </p><p>There’s a ticking in his head that keeps bothering him, a forming hurricane approaching to destroy. He knows exactly why. He knows the exact reason, moment and even date and time of when he realized this hurts so much. </p><p>Pacifica moves forward, looking to see if the rain had at least calmed down. A shiver runs down her body and Dipper absentmindedly gives her his jacket, big, blue and cozy, he takes it off without thinking and wraps it around her shoulders. She looks at him with an arched eyebrow and he swears there were rims of unshed tears on her face. He’s not a coward, so he doesn’t look away. </p><p>It does’t matter, though. Pacifica sighs a quick “<em>Thanks</em>,” Because really, there’s nothing left to say. He can’t just come right out and say it, least of all now.<em> I’m in love with you and now probably I will never see you again.</em>No, it would only hurt more, a salt shaker in a wound that just barely wants to open. </p><p>However, his mouth tends to act faster than his brain does. Which is usually not the case but right now, he has to say something because he feels like the silence is choking him. “Are you sure…” He starts, but cuts himself off because he really didn’t think the question through. He knows the answer. </p><p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p>She sighed but it’s sad, it’s <em>so so so</em> sad that it reaches into him. She just shakes her head, looking down and when had he reached over tot ake it? And slowly, nearly agonizingly slow, she takes it away, opening the door to the truck. </p><p>The rain still pounds on them but the gates are open so she can dash inside, there’s a butler waiting for her at the other side, far away, with a big purple umbrella and for a few seconds, Dipper watches her walk away. </p><p><em>What are you doing?</em> His brain screams at him, she’s approaching the gate with his jacket on, the hoodie covering her hair and she’s nearly unrecognizable, but he knows it’s her. She’s the only one who walks like that, a slight tilt to her steps. She’s the only one who would hesitate for walking back into what now looked like a Gothic horror place, because the real monsters are inside. She’s the only one who could make him feel like this in a spawn of seconds and<em> what the fuck is he doing just letting her walk away like that?</em></p><p>Dipper Pines, as he grows older, adopts the motto do first, ask questions later, so when he opens the dor and pouring rain drops on him, he can’t say he’s surprised. “Pacifica,”He screams, and she must have heard something because she looks back and before he knows it he’s in front of her and she’s looking up at him with such big blue eyes that he can’t help himself.</p><p>He kisses her.</p><p>And at first it’s exhilarating, there’s a threat of being punched in the gut or even fucking assassinated via sniper rifle considering how much her parents hate the Pines family, but the moment Pacifica’s body stops being tense, she kisses him back and he feels like if he were to be killed at the moment, it would be worth it. </p><p>There’s so much he wants to say but he’s always been terrible with words, but he manages to try, for her. “I love you,” Is the first thing he say when they seperate for a breath because he needs to, because if this is real he needs to be alive in order to continue to process all of this. His forehead is against hers and he’s gonna catch a cold or hypothermia or whatever you get when you’re fucking cold but it doesn’t matter.</p><p>Because Pacificas smile is enough to make the sun come out and greet the day. She’s everything he’s ever wanted and he’s a fucking idiot if he ever thought he would never tell her. “Dipper,” She says in a nearly breathless tone and he wants to hear his name said like that for the rest of his life, each letter perfectly accentuated in the tilt of her voice and he doesn’t want to let this go, he wants to fight for this. “I–I,”</p><p>“We’ll figure it out,” He says because he’s desperate, because he needs to believe in something and if she’s been there all of this time and if she’s his salvation without a thread of hope, he’s willing to risk it. “We’ll figure it out. I swear, because Mabel loves you, because Candy and Grenda and Stan and Ford have come to love you and I <em>adore </em>you and we’ll figure it out, Paz.” </p><p>She kisses him because she’s never been good with words either, but he can definitely feel the start of something in the pit of his stomach and if the way she wraps his arms behind his neck is anything to tell, so does she. </p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. dipper's hat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>pacifica tries it on.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div>
  <p>She reaches over the counter and takes Dipper’s hat off of him. </p>
  <p>“Hey!“ He exclaims, nearly falling off the seat he was leaning on. The seat stills on the floor and he’s left staring up at a grinning Pacifica, his hat between her fingers. “What?" </p>
  <p> She laughs, and it’s light and bubbly and it may be sincere, or it may just be the fact that her parents have finally left town for the week and this is the first time in so long that she’s been able to laugh for real. And he likes it. He likes her genuine happiness, the way her shoulders move as she chuckles. "This,” She says, holding his familiar blue and white hat up. “I just noticed that it’s part of the Mystery Shack inventory." </p>
  <p> He quirks an eyebrow because he’s intrigued in where this is going, Pacifica doesn’t just start conversations, so he might as well play along. It’s not like he’s not interested. "Yes?”</p>
  <p> "I just always thought it was so you that I couldn’t picture anyone else wearing it,“ She replies, looking at it and thank god she is because if she weren’t she’d probably notice the blush on his cheeks. Well… That was unexpected. "Especially considering I haven’t seen anyone else wearing. I’m glad you have it, though, looks good on you." </p>
  <p> Dipper tries calming down, running a hand through his hair in reflex, willing the red on his face to disappear. "Thanks,” He says because really, he’s always been awful at words and right now he’s a bit lost for them. Pacifica just complimented him, shouldn’t he do that back? </p>
  <p> Just before he can open his mouth, Pacifica puts his hat on her head and he just… smiles at her. He smiles because her blonde hair kinda puffs down, a bit sticking out the back. It looks big on her, considering his hair is curvier and bigger than hers, so it’s spacious. There’s a small patter to his chest that frantically stammers all around but the smile is still on his face, and probably really goofy as well since he can tell by the way Pacifica is laughing back. He can’t tell if she’s laughing at him or with him, but right now he’s okay with it because she’s laughing.</p>
  <p> "You’re an idiot,“ She says with a roll of her eyes, leaning over to kiss his forehead, to kiss the constellation placed on his skin and he feels said stars burning bright. "You wanna tell me when your shift ends?”</p>
  <p> He bites his lower lip in a smile, trying to suppress the nearly inherent fist pumping he wants to do because he’s almost ninety nine percent nice sure that Pacifica just asked him out. “Fifteen minutes. Meet me by the diner?" </p>
  <p> And there she goes, smiling and radiant, looking back at him like she has a secret she’s dying to share. "You better show up or the hat gets it.” She jokes, turning and leaving with his hat on. </p>
  <p> Dipper is smiling the rest of his shift, anticipation and nerves eating up at him to the promise of pancakes and just a little bit of something more.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. double date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>dipper and pacifica go on a double date with wendy and mabel.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This had been the worse idea possible– <em>how had he agreed to it</em>? What had possessed him to even contemplate that this was a good idea? Ever? </p><p>“Dipper,” Mabel’s voice snaps him out of his trance and makes him look up from the menu. “We’re waiting on your order.”</p><p>“Uh…” He starts nervously, trying not to sweat, his hand being clutched clutching themselves into fists underneath the table. He looks at Lazy Susan who was smiling at him. “I’ll have burger and fries then.” He answers, which seemed to be enough for Susan as she nodded and scribbled it down, walking away from the booth. </p><p>Whoever said that going on double dates was a good idea should be hammered down into a million tiny little pieces. </p><p>It had all started when Mabel had suggested it. “Come on,” She nearly begged. “I haven’t been able to hang out with Pacifica all summer, and Wendy keeps saying that she misses your movie Mondays so I figured this was the best way to go!” </p><p>Dipper wants to explain to her why he thinks this is a bad idea but he can’t seem to properly convey as to <em>why</em>. He had been over Wendy long ago, and he was just now starting to publicly date Pacifica so what could have possibly go wrong? </p><p>Well, all current women on the table had blackmail on him, and he loathe to be the subject of embarrassment. As trivial as it may be.</p><p>“So,” Wendy asks, putting her elbows on the table and resting her head on one of her hands with a grin Dipper doesn’t like in the least bit. “Paz, do you know of the Lamby-Lamby dance?” </p><p>Mabel’s squeal beside her was so loud, Dipper cringed. Both in horror and nearly going deaf. “<em>Wendy no</em>!” </p><p>This, however, only served to peak Pacifica’s ever growing curiosity and with a Cheshire grin, she leans over, both hands supporting her chin in an innocent manner. “What’s that?” </p><p>There’s a laughter that courses through Mabel as she leans over to Wendy, scrolling through her phone. ‘Wendy, babe, you’re literally the best! Hold on, I still have pictures of it somewhere.” </p><p>“Why do you carry those around?’ He asks exasperated as he ran a hand through his hair, Pacifica rolled his eyes next to him but laughed softly. </p><p>“For these special occasions, bro bro!” She grins maniacally as she shoves the phone towards Pacifica, showing toddler Dipper in all his glory in that stupid lamb costume. </p><p>Pacifica cooes. Pacifica <em>freaking </em>cooes at it and laughs softly. “That’s adorable,” She says, leaning over and kissing Dipper on his flushed cheek. “Whoever thought you were a dancer.” She comments cheekily as Susan leaves their drinks on the table. </p><p>The soft chime of her laughter and the sparkle in her eyes is enough for Dipper to swallow down his embarrassment and actually try to have a good time. She snakes her hand on his and it feels warm, reassuring, loving. </p><p>Hey, maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all. </p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. ice cream confessions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>robbie helps pacifica confront her feelings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So,” Robbie starts as soon as the man hands him and Pacifica their respective ice creams. “Since when do you have a crush on Dipshit over there?”</p><p>Pacifica nearly chokes on her first taste of her favorite French vanilla with chocolate swirl, quickly looking up at him with a small flare of anger in her eyes, cheeks flushed and oh the girl is embarrassed. “I do not—I—how dare you—”</p><p>“Relax, Elle,” Robbie answers, waving away the concern as he pays the man for both ice cream cones, calling her by a small affectionate nickname he’d given her when bonding over mutual love for Legally Blonde. “Come, walk with me. Let’s talk about it.”</p><p>“Since when are you Mr. Sensitive?” Pacifica answers quickly, still following behind him as they leave the ice cream parlor; Robbie always forgets that for a 13 year old, Pacific’s really sharp.</p><p>This weird friendship between them had started back at the shack a summer ago, when Pacifica and Robbie were one of the few Gravity Falls members to seek refuge at the <em>Mystery Shack</em>. He still remembers the girl, cooped up in the corner of the room as if she were a dog, hugging her knees tight. “<em>Hey</em>,” He had approached her in an uncharacteristically soft tone as he sat next to her. He remembers recognizing her as the Northwest heir, but other than that, he hadn’t known much. “<em>Um… Pauline, right</em>?”</p><p>“<em>Pacifica</em>,” She corrected, not having the energy to look up from her huddled up spot so she stays with her head down, feet shuffling as she found herself comfortable. “<em>What do you want</em>?”</p><p>“<em>Uh</em>—” Robbie had started because really, what <em>did</em> he want? Since when did he care about twerps crying in the middle of the apocalypse? Everyone was. And yet he found himself leaning his back against the same wall, hands in his hoodie. “Don’t know.” He answered truthfully; looking at the way Mr. Pines was currently barking orders at the gnomes to shelter the windows. “<em>Kinda felt like an outsider here, looking for some company.</em>”</p><p>The small comment was enough to make the girl look up from her knees and Robbie noticed how tired she looked, how the corners of her eyes were rimmed red and the hollow underneath them was as black as his eyeliner. “<em>Yeah—tell me about it.” </em>She said, wiping away a stray tear as she took a breath. “<em>The Pines are—I’ve never seen anyone so worried over their kids.</em>”</p><p>Something sat definitely wrong with Robbie as Pacifica said that sentence. <em>What the hell kind of parent wouldn’t be worried for their kids</em>? Sure, Robbie gives his folks some gripe every now and then, but he loves them; and they love him too, weird hormonal mood swings and all. “<em>Well, I’m pretty sure your parents are worried for you too</em>.”</p><p>There’s a slight silence that takes on Pacifica’s face before she sighs sadly. “Maybe,” She said. “I wouldn’t know. My dad got his face weirded up and I don’t know where my mom is right now.”</p><p>“<em>Oh</em>,” Was all Robbie could say, watching as Pacifica retreated to her shell again, and for some reason he just had an overwhelming sensation of big brotherhood-ness and didn’t want her to go. “<em>Well, I’m gonna adopt you then. Little sister Pacifica, my parents will be thrilled to have a girl.</em>”</p><p>Pacifica giggled and it was a good enough sign for him. Laughter meant good and good meant happiness, right? The Apocalypse was giving him a slightly new turn in life, if the end of the world was really on them, well, why go down alone?</p><p>Coming back from his train of thought, Robbie had failed to notice that they had reached the park, both of them moving to sit towards a nice bench. “So,” He starts, mischievous grin on his face as Pacifica rolls her eyes and tries to ignore him. “You and Dipper, huh?”</p><p>“I said, <em>stop</em> it!” Pacifica replies once again, cheeks set ablaze. “I don’t tease you and Tambry.”</p><p>“Well, that’s cause we’ve been dating for a year now,” Robbie replies, licking his strawberry cone. “You, on the other hand, I’ve never seen get so nervous over a guy before.”</p><p>“I don’t get nervous around guys!” Pacifica says almost too quickly, and as if realizing her mistake, looks up at him with a glare. “Okay, fine, what do you want? I kinda sort of <em>maaaaaybe</em> have a thing for Dipper—so what?”</p><p>Robbie can’t resist the bark of laughter that comes from him. “Let the record show I’m not laughing at you,” Robbie makes clear quickly. “It’s just adorable how embarrassed you are.”</p><p>“You’re the worst, Robbie,” Pacifica says, going back to angrily eating her ice cream, which bear in mind it is not a good way to eat ice cream. “I shouldn’t have told you anything.”</p><p>“Oh come on, Paz,” He says, holding an arm over her shoulder. “Mabel was the one who hooked me and Tambry up, I owe the Pines that.”</p><p>“Then why not help Mabel herself?”</p><p>“Are you kidding?” Robbie says, stealing a bite of her ice cream. “Mabel can get anyone she wants, she’s that charismatic, but Dipper’s more… <em>not</em>.”</p><p>Pacifica looks like she wants to reiterate him on that but decides not to. “Okay, so why do him the favor? Didn’t you guys, <em>like</em>, hate each other?”</p><p>“It takes a lot of immaturity to hate a 13 year old, Paz,” Robbie says, even though he knows for a fact that he indeed had hated him for a while. “Besides, I’m gonna do it for you.”</p><p>A slight chuckle gets out of Pacifica’s throat as she finishes off her ice cream, moving directly to the cone. “I doubt anything’s gonna happen.” She says nonchalantly, as if she’s taught of it before. “He’s going away by the end of the summer anyway, so what’s the point?”</p><p>“Love,” Robbie answers, making Pacifica nearly whip her head at him. “I want you happy, Pacifica.”</p><p>“I’m plenty happy.”</p><p>“I know just…” Robbie sighs, looking at her. “Look, don’t go spreading this around but I care about you a lot, okay? And I just kinda wanna return the favor.”</p><p>Blue eyes kind of grow wider as Pacifica looks at him, the look quickly turning into a quirked eyebrow and a smirk. “So you care about me, Mr. Emo Teen Band Reject?”</p><p>“Ow,” Robbie mimics hurt, a hand to his chest laughing. “Why do you hurt me like that?”</p><p>Laughing again, Pacifica leans into her big brother and sighs. “Look, don’t do anything of the Dipper thing for now. But if you promise to behave, I’ll tell you when I started liking him.”</p><p>Robbie smiles, disposing of the napkins on the trash bin next to them, letting Pacifica lean into him. “I’m all ears.”</p><p>“And piercings,” Pacifica laughs, pulling at his ear softly. “Don’t forget piercings.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. wingman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>robbie (and tambry) help pacifica get her groove back.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m not gonna do this,” Pacifica says as she looks at herself in the mirror in the bathroom, phone clutched to her hand. “I look like an idiot.”</p><p>“<em>Um from what I remember, you look great, okay? Those leggings we bought you at Hot Topic go great with that hot pink dress</em>.” Robbie tells her, something moving around in the background, probably him looking for those gross vinegar chips he likes. “<em>Now stop hiding in the bathroom and go back out there</em>.”</p><p>“How do you know I’m hiding in the bathroom?” Pacifica says, cheeks flushed as she nearly grips the phone. “Look, Mabel and the redhead are with him; I can’t just barge in there like that and impose myself on them. I may be a snob but I’m not rude.”</p><p>“<em>Please</em>,” Robbie scoffs and Pacifica swears she can almost hear him rolling his eyes. “<em>Mabel’s in on it. And as for Wendy—trust me, she’s gonna catch on and leave with Mabel</em>.”</p><p>“Why don’t you tell the rest of the town while you’re at it?” Her breath’s quickening, and she swears the walls are closing in on her.</p><p>Robbie’s still laughing at the other side of the phone and she swears that if she could reach in and choke him, she would. “<em>Pacifica, calm down</em>,” He says, munching on something. Ugh, only he can stomach the left over chips at the pharmacy. “<em>Besides, by the way you get red, I’m pretty sure the whole town already knows except Mr. Clueless out there who wouldn’t know a girl flirting with him if she were to kiss him in the moment—hey, that’s not a bad</em>—”</p><p>“<em>No</em>,” Pacifica nearly barks at him, not wanting to hear the end of that sentence. “<em>Look, I think I’m just gonna go home and</em>—”</p><p>“<em>Is she getting cold feet</em>?”</p><p>“<em>Yeah, babe</em>.”</p><p>“<em>Hand me the phone.”</em></p><p>There’s a slight shift in noise as a button is pressed. “<em>Pacifica, it’s Tambry</em>,” Her voice starts and for some reason Pacifica feels calmer. She loves Robbie, she does but… he didn’t exactly have the best technique in the romance department, heck, the fact that he was dating as someone as awesome as Tambry still kinda perplexed her.  “<em>You’re on speaker. Look, you’re a gorgeous girl. Smart and brave, he’s lucky you’re even looking at him</em>.”</p><p>Pacifica smiles, something about Tambry’s confidence seeming to ooze into her. “Okay but…” How does she explain this? “He’s the first boy I’m making a move on, okay? Most boys come to me.”</p><p>“<em>And that doesn’t surprise us at all</em>,” Robbie says, a grunt to him as Pacifica assumes Tambry elbowed him.</p><p>“<em>But you gotta take chances, sweetie</em>,” Tambry says. “<em>If you really like him, go for it.”</em></p><p>“<em>Buy him a drink.”</em></p><p>“I’m 16, Robbie.” Pacifica answers dryly as she fixes her hair, gaining her confidence back little by little. As much as she complained about him, she did appreciate the fact that Robbie was trying to help her.</p><p>“Just let things happen naturally,” Tambry explains calmly. “Wendy and Mabel should be going on a date soon anyway, Dipper’s gonna appreciate the company, <em>trust</em> me.”</p><p>Before Pacifica asks her what she means by that, someone knocks on the door. “Paz, we’re leaving,” Mabel’s overly excited tone says in a sing song voice. “Have fun!”</p><p>Pacifica sighs. “I guess that’s my cue.”</p><p>“Atta girl!” Robbie says. “Be back home by eleven.”</p><p>“Robbie!”</p><p>“<em>Be safe</em>,” He snickers before hanging up, leaving a flustered Pacifica behind him.</p><p>“Jerk,” She huffs, putting her phone back in her purse, taking a deep breath as she adjusts her hair. “Okay,” She breaths out. “Here goes nothing.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. reverse falls (part deux)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the first time gideon and pacifica meet the mystcal twins, things go haywire.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pacifica has always had trouble believing in things that weren’t right in front of her eyes, but that doesn’t mean she’s opposed to the idea of them existing.</p><p>“The Tent of Telepathy, huh?” She says unimpressed as Gideon buys the tickets to a colossal black and blue tent at the back of the Mystery Shack. She knows for a fact that Gideon is just as skeptical as she is but there’s a small trace of wonder in his eyes since he wants these types of things to be real, and Pacifica can’t deny her cousin anything; she finds it hard to do so when he’s her only friend. “What are they going to do? Tell me what my favorite color is? Anyone with a pair of eyes can see what it is.” She snorts, gesturing to her pink and purple windbreaker and her purple skirt.</p><p>Gideon laughs as he takes the tickets from the lady at the stand and looks back at her. “Let’s see what they do,” He says, handing her hers. “If it’s nothing impressive, we can chalk it up to phony shenanigans and there’s no need to put it in the journal.”</p><p>The journal. Gideon had been obsessed with it since they found it and Pacifica would be lying if she herself hadn’t grown rather fond of it; who would have thought that in the first two weeks of summer they have already been chased by gnomes, fought live mannequins and chased a wild sea monster, even if said one was made to be a fake at the end? “I can see it now,” Pacifica giggles, entering the tent and taking their seats. “ ‘<em>Fake psychic twins look creepy like the ones in the Shinning</em>. ‘ ”</p><p>“Hey,” Gideon manages through a laugh. “To their defense, we haven’t seen them <em>yet</em>.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean.”</p><p>The lights dim down into a darker palette as the back of the tent closes, indicating that the show was about to start. “Ladies and gentlemen,” A girl’s voice says through the PA system, causing the onlookers to search for the source of it. “Are you ready to be <em>dazzled</em>?”</p><p>A puff of blue smoke appears on stage and out emerge two figures; one is a lovely, curvy girl, brown, curly hair down to her waist, magician suit resembling something Zattana wears from Gideon’s Batman comics but sequined in blue and a the other is a broad shouldered boy, same brown hair slicked back to reveal a strange birthmark shaped like a constellation in his head and dressed in the same shade of black and blue as his partner. They both have eerily cyan eyes that give Pacifica a shake down her back.</p><p><em>Maybe we bit off more than we can chew</em>.</p><p>“Welcome one and all to the tent of telepathy, we are your hosts,” The girl says in a low toned voice as she and the other bow to the audience. “Mabel and Dipper Pines, at your service and we’re here to entertain you all, completing our tour back at our hometown of Gravity Falls after nearly six years of travelling around the state.“</p><p><em>Six years?</em> Pacifica thinks, trying to go back her mental calendar to search if she ever knew a Mabel and Dipper Pines when she was twelve and coming up blank. <em>Must have not been that social. Something must have changed.</em></p><p><em>“</em>Now, Mabel<em>,” </em>The young man—Dipper, says as he walks up to his sister and places a hand on her shoulder. “The audience doesn’t want our life story,” There’s a wicked grin on his face that makes Pacifica uneasy, her breath hitching. “The only came here to see one thing,” He says as he snaps his figures and an electric blue fire manifests in his hands. “<em>Magic</em>.”</p><p>The audience roars in applause, Mabel and Dipper on stage looking regal and poised as they receive lavage adoration as if they were born for it. Pacifica sits with her arms crossed, she knows stuck up snobs when she sees them, having grown up around Northwest celebrations and parties, she can pick them out like weeds.</p><p>However, the show goes on, and one after the other it was officially getting harder and harder for her and Gideon to chalk them up as fakes. They do a few simple tricks at first, mind reading, making things appear and disappear, they even did fire tricks towards not only each other but invited their stage manager up, which happened to be their great uncle, and he went along, displaying an impressive skill at knife throwing that was inherited by his niece who didn’t miss a single apple on the board where an audience member had volunteered to be placed on, coming out completely unharmed. And all through the show, Gideon found himself more and more wrapped up in it and Pacifica more and more worried, there was no way these people were real… right?</p><p>“And now, ladies and gentlemen,” Mabel says, the audience eager to hear any word that comes out of her mouth. “We will need a volunteer for our next trick.”</p><p>Many hands go up, men, women, boys and girls, all eager to participate in the calvacade of nonsense and magic that was presented before them and in a snap of fingers, Mabel had chosen her next participant. “<em>You</em>,” She said, pointing towards her cousin. “I like your face a lot, come on up, sugar.”</p><p>With a flicker of both fear and in his eyes, Gideon stands up, Pacifica left behind to worry over what these two might do to her cousin.</p><p>“Gideon Gleeful,” Dipper says as he approaches the scene and both Pacifica and Gideon seemed to think the same thing. <em>How did they know</em>? “Lovely to meet you, please sit here.” He says as Mabel levitates a chair from the back of the room towards the stage, the audience <em>ooing</em> and <em>aaing</em> along with it.</p><p>Gideon does as instructed and sits on the given chair, Pacifica now watching it all happen as she bites her bottom lip in anticipation. “Oh Dipper,” Mabel says in her sing song voice. “You’re scaring him.”</p><p>“My apologies,” Dipper says, leaning over the chair and looking at Gideon. “Now, Mr. Gleeful, I need of you only one thing,” He says, looking at him and Dipper’s eyes seemed to glow bluer, deadlier. “I need you to look into my eyes and <em>trust</em> in me.”</p><p>“Look into your eyes…” Gideon repeats, his voice taking a rather monotone voice ha wasn’t used to. “Trust in you…”</p><p>“Perfect,” Dipper says, standing back straight up and looking at the audience. “Suggestions for what Mr. Gleeful should think he is?”</p><p>“A chicken!”</p><p>“A Pig!”</p><p>“A cow!”</p><p>“A worm!”</p><p>“I heard worm,” Dipper says, taking a step back. <em>There’s no way he’s going to do it. </em>Pacifica thinks, holding to her chair by her hands as if she were to be plummeted out of it any minute now. <em>No way.</em> “Gideon Gleeful, when I count to three and snap my fingers, you will think you are a worm.” <em>No freaking way</em>. “One…Two…Three.” Dipper finished as he snaps his fingers.</p><p>And for couple of seconds nothing happens, haunting silence as Gideon sits there, stoic and unmoving. And then something changes, his eyes glow entirely blue and Gideon throws himself on the stage floor, slugging himself around like a <em>worm</em>. The audience applauds, Dipper takes a bow.</p><p>For the next three minutes the charade goes on, going from chicken, to cow, to pig, and every other audience suggestion throws at them. “<em>Stop</em>!” Pacifica screams, standing up from her chair in reddened cheeks and furrowed brow. “He’s hand enough, let on her, him go.”</p><p>“Oh,” Dipper says and suddenly all focus is on her. It’s unnerving, Pacifica has known how to control people’s stares on her but his voice… his eyes… it’s not like anything she’s ever experienced before.  “What do we have here?”</p><p>In a second, the edges of Pacifica’s body glow blue and before she can blink, Mabel has her dangling over the crowd. “Looks like we got a little mouse in the audience.”</p><p>“Mabel, you pay respects, this is Miss Northwest,” Dipper says, helping her on stage and his touch, even as respectful and courteous as it is, is eerie, something different and it chills her to the bone. The way his sister is looking at her doesn’t help either. “Of course, Miss Northwest, we were just pleasing the crowd.” He tells her, turning his attention to Gideon, who was now on four legs, mooing loudly. “Gideon Gleeful, when I snap my fingers, you’ll go back to yourself. One, two, three.”</p><p><em>Snap</em>. “<em>Woah</em>,” Gideon says, Pacifica quickly hurrying towards him to help him up. “What happened?”</p><p>“Thank you for being such a wonderful volunteer,” Mabel says, jamming herself in between the two and all eyes on Gideon, Pacifica grimaces but lets it slide, now that Gideon had free will, she trusts him to do as he wants. “We hope to see you again.”</p><p>“Both of you,” Dipper says behind them, politely taking Pacifica hands and kissing it. Her heartbeat notches up and her cheeks flush, but she maintains her composed posture. “It’s been lovely to meet you.”</p><p>Pacifica feels the press of something against her mind but it doesn’t go in far, so she bats the concern away. “Same,” She replies, nearly tumbling off stage with her cousin behind her; the show goes on and she has a feeling that they’ll encounter the Pines twins much more than wanted through the rest of the summer.</p><p><em>Well, I’ve lived with Gravity Falls weirdness for most of my life,</em> She thinks. <em>Bring it on.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. secret trysts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>dipper and pacifica sneak away to do naughty, young adult things.</p><p>-</p><p>this one has smut. thread at your own risk.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dipper knows his (<em>secret</em>) girlfriend as well as he knows the palm of his hand.</p><p>The thing about being with someone like Pacifica Northwest is that you learn to pick up a few notes along the way over how she behaves, what subtle little mannerisms mean or don’t mean. So, of course when she showed up to Mabel’s slumber party in a skimpy white pajama bottoms and thin strapped shirt, he knew he was in trouble… he just didn’t know the half of it.</p><p>“I can’t believe this is your first sleeppver!” Mabel says as she nearly launches herself into the living room with her things on her, Pacifica close behind. She finally seems to notice her brother on the couch and waves him away. “Out, out. I’m taking control of the living room, we’re having our slumber party here.”</p><p>“Can’t you use our room like you always do?” He asks a bit annoyed, he was in the middle of a new Ghost Harrasers and he wanted to know what happened to Jason after the haunted doll was nearly thrown across the room, also, he needs something to look at other than Pacifica grinning at him from the other side.</p><p>“Uh uh,” The older-by-five-minutes Pines answers him as she lays down the sleeping bags on the floor. “She needs the full experience, which means cheesy movies and awful TV, so chop chop before Candy and Grenda get here.”</p><p>He rolls his eyes, he knows better than to fight with Mabel. Shrigging, he figures he could probably catch a rerun later, since it’s mostly the only show this channel airs consistently. “Nice shirt, dork.” He hears Pacifica tell him and he looks down to his novelty Ghost Harrasers ahirt, which is one of the best, thank you very much.</p><p>But he knows what she’s doing, two can play at that game. “Remind me again, Northwest, does your kind get cold or are you used to it considering your scales and all?”</p><p>She throws a pillow at him, which means it worked. Mabel groans, which is a better sign. “You two, stop bickering. Paz, help me with the popcorn and snacks please?”</p><p>“Sure,” Pacifica answers, waiting until Mabel turns around to give Dipper a quick wink, to which he blushed at before heading up the stairs. “Nice cover.” She tells him cheekily as he groans and goes up. Better to forget that the girl you’re not suppose to be dating us running around in your house in a skimpy pair of pajamas.</p><p>Maybe he could catch a livestream of the new episode while he tries to force his emotions down.</p><hr/><p>After finally managing to tire the girls out, (seriously, it’s three am, how do people stay up this long?), Pacifica waits until she makes sure they’re all completely asleep. Grenda was huddled in a sleeping bag exhausted, with soft snores coming in every once and a while while Candy slept to the other side of the room stiff as a board. Mabel, on the other hand, was slung down on the couch, completely worn out with too many stickers on her face.</p><p>Pacifica really did have fun, talking to them, watching terrible movies, and just having fun all around, being girls. Her mother and father had never let her do something like this, at least not with normal girls. The only “slumber parties” she had ever attended had been controlled and obserbated by snooty parents and mainly consisted on boring tea parties and after that just basically going to bed. Laughing loudly because Grenda had placed several menthos on Cola to cause a fountain of soda while Mabel and Candy discussed the merits on having nachos as earrings was easily one of the most fun and pure moments of Pacifica’s life.</p><p>But of course now the real treat came.</p><p>Sliding out of her purple sleeping bag, she quickly goes up the stairs, (thank god they didn’t creek under her) and manages to make it where she wanted to be. Twisting the knob to the room she knew would be the twins, she slowly opens, gets in and closes it.</p><p>So far, so good.</p><p>He’s sleeping on his bed and she has to resist the urge to laugh, even softly. He’s a mess. His hair is all around him, wild and curly, his shirt is one side up his stomach and there’s an arm slung out of the mattress. They really should get new beds and stop sleeping in these small twin ones, they’re both outgrowing them.</p><p>She takes a step closer, being so so so glad that she had decided to bring this pair of pajamas instead of the longer one she had been insisted to wear by her parents. She didn’t consider these indecent, in fact, she had received compliments by her friends on how pretty it was. But now she wanted them off.</p><p>“Dipper,” She whispers, trying softly to wake him up, shaking his arm. He didn’t seem to bulge. After a while of shaking and whispering, Pacifica decides that enough is enougb, Northwests don’t wait.</p><p>So she does what feels natural, she climbs on top of him, not that there’s much room in this small twin bed, and adjusts her hips perfectly. “Dipper,” She tries again, with a roll of her hips this time and his eyes nearly pop open.</p><p>“Wha–” He says, a little groggy and in a voice that’s that low, rasped tone one gets when it’s out of use. “Pacifica,” He says a little bit more awake now, sitting up to level with her. “Wha–What are you doing here?” And even though the room is dark, she can lightly see the blush on his cheeks thanks to the reflection of the moon inside.</p><p>“Yeesh, Pines, you wake up with a girl on top of you and that’s what you ask?” She teases, although he knows exactly what it means. This is dangerous, they could get caught easily. But isn’t that the fun?</p><p>She starts slow, pushing him back down and puffing her chest out. “Aren’t you gonna comment on my outfit?”</p><p>Dipper grins and it’s the type of grin that makes her stomach do flips and her cheeks heat. “Oh, you did this on purpose.” He answers as he grips one side of her hips while his other hand goes up her back, just checking if she had a bra on.</p><p>She didn’t. “Like you’re going to complain,” She replies, rolling her eyes as she grinds on him, causing the hand on her hip to grip her as he hisses.</p><p>“Pacifica, we could get–”</p><p>“I know,” She says, leaning down and biting his lower lip. “We won’t.” She whispers against his mouth.</p><p>Dipper knows he shouldn’t do this. At least not now. Stan is nearly in the next room and Ford, even though his sleeping schedule is hit or miss, is a light sleeper. Not to mention the cackle of young adult girls in the living room. “You’re thinking too much,” Pacifica says as she runs a hand down his shirt. All thoughts seeze to exist after that.</p><p>They start kissing and even though they’ve done this many times, it always feels new and electrifying, Pacifica’s mouth is so soft against his and she tastes like mint tonight. He sits up again because he has to hold her, so he wraps his arms around her to push her closer to him, her chest against his because the distance between them was too much.</p><p>It’s hard for him to point out when Pacifica had become one of the most important elements of his life, but all that matters at the moment is that she is. “I missed you,” She says between a kiss as he catches her lower lip in his teeth, softly nibbling at it, his hand holding her by the back of her neck. He knows she’d referring to the summer months they spent apart by him going back to California, and while Skype dates and phone calls were fun, it was nothing compared to the real thing.</p><p>“I missed you too,” He says in a breath back, taking a moment to look at her, foreheads pressed against eachother. She’s truly gorgeous and Dipper thanks his lucky stars every single day that she somehow had fallen in love with him just as he had her. He kisses her again, slower this time, taking time to savor her.</p><p>The sudden change of pace astounds her but it’s not necessarily unwelcomed. In fact, she revels in it, kissing him back with the same softness. They don’t have to rush, she has nowhere to go but downstairs after this, it’s not like the girls are going to wake up early after the explosion of activity they had.</p><p>“Pacifica,” He says as soon as their lips separate again and there’s something, there’s always been something, about the way her name sounds in his lips, like it belongs there, like it’s home. She presses her hands on his chest and pushes his shirt off, his hot skin suddenly enveloping her as he sits closer, slipping her soft, silk shirt off, so smooth it nearly melted off her. He takes a moment to look at her, chest heaving as his gaze runs down her, from her hair to her eyes, to her lips down the space between her breasts, taking one in his hands and rolling it in his hands, perfectly fitted to him. “You’re gorgeous.”</p><p>And the thing about Dipper is that when he says it, it feels real. Pacifica’s heard this before, of course she has, but it always sounded superficial, one of those things one says when one wants to be in your good graces, but Dipper with his hungry tone and brown eyes sounds so sincere and out of breath she can’t help the goosebumps that crawl across her skin. He leans down and takes her right breast into his mouth, causing her to arc back a bit and a low moan in her throat. She can feel his erection under her and she’s ecstatic.</p><p>There’s a certain type of power that courses through her in knowing she’s the one who makes him like this, that she makes him both so defenseless and powered at the same time. She starts grinding her hips against him in motion to him savoring her breasts and she’s almost sure that they’ll be a little more desperate than usual. Because there’s only so much they go can without touching each other and Pacifica needs him.</p><p>A loud pop sounds when he stops moving from breast to breast as her hands prop down to free his cock from his boxers (which were covered in little ghosts, the nerd) and she giggles a bit at it. “You’re so cute,” She can’t help the comment.</p><p>To which she could almost physically hear him roll his eyes. “That’s the last thing I want to be called right now,” He says, no real malice to his voice, to which she grins and replies with another roll of his hips, which makes him hiss. “Much better.” He says, edging his thumbs on her shorts and shimming them off.</p><p>His hands on her skin have always felt so good, hard, rough hands on soft skin, it makes her nerves feel on fire. She’s already so wet as she lifts so the shorts and underwear slide off completely, taking he opportunity to kiss the constellation on his head. “Fuck me,” She breathes against his face, causing his breath to hitch, but he knows how this goes. When Pacifica demands, he delivers. Always.</p><p>So when she sits back down, his hand in on her, opening her slowly, just making sure. Her precious Dipper, always so polite and courteous, which just makes her want him more. “Wait,” She says, taking his hand and giving his middle and index fingers a good suck, causing his cheeks to flush and a small stutter to him. She hums in content as she releases him. “Okay, now.”</p><p>And with said fingers, he starts slowly entering her, and even if the angle is a but off, he manages somehow to have her moaning lowly, keeping her noise to minimum. She moves her hips into his hand until she needs more, until pulls at his hair and nearly, nearly begs him. “Please,” She says, and it’s half a plea, but Dipper doesn’t need more. He knows. Taking a condom from the side table and quickly putting it on, Pacifica giggling as she helps in in the process, they manage to laugh through the heat of the moment, still content to just be with each other. </p><p>Taking his fingers out of her, he kisses her one last time before lying down, proping his legs behind her as support. Pacifica always prefers taking charge first, whatever happens after will be decided later. He props his head on his pillows because he wants to look at her and his gaze has always made her hot. He looks at her like she’s the most beautiful sight in the world. And as she slides down on him, she feels like it.</p><p>God, his body is perfect against hers and a gasp is stuck on her throat as she fully takes him into her. Her eyes close, the slight pain quickly turning into the familiar pleasure she’s becomes addicted to. One she immediately associates with Dipper Pines and it whirls around in her head for a while.</p><p>He’s gripping her hips, not in an effort to rush her, instead in an effort to stay still. He’s embarrassingly aware he’s just a slight bigger than average and he doesn’t want to hurt her. So he takes a deep breath as he feels her surrounding him. Through half cloudy eyes he looks at her and his heart wants to slam out of his chest. “Dipper,” She moans, rolling her hips, signifying that she’s ready as she slowly picks up a pace.</p><p>And at first it’s slow, Pacifica riding him with all the patience in the world and at first it’s delicious, the way her smaller body feels against his bigger one, her legs on his sides as she climbs on him, small mewls being more supressed than usual given the circumstances and he’d give anything to have her scream his name a the moment.</p><p>But they can’t, not tonight.</p><p>It’s enough, as she picks up her pace, going faster and faster after the high she craves. Pacifica’s teeth dig into her lower lip to keep quiet as she thrusts herself against him. Wanting more and more and more and more.</p><p>“Let me… make this easy for you,” He manages to say between breaths as he slowly flips her over, putting her legs over his shoulders. With a thrust he kisses her moan away, vibrating in her throat as he slowly slides in and out of her, one of her hands buried in his hair, the other twisting into the sheet.</p><p>They’re like that for a while, Dipper trying his best not to make the bed shake, slowly pushing into her, kissing her the entire time to keep quiet. They breath heavily through their noses as they nearly feel the air wanting to run away from them.</p><p>“Ah,” She moans in one of the brief moments they’re lips aren’t connected as Dipper thrust deep inside of her and stopped, looking at her. “I’m so so close,” She says in a shaky tone and it’s enough for him. He doesn’t pace faster, they can’t make noise, but he does change his angle, the way he knows she likes best.</p><p>Her eyes are half lidded and as her breath hitches, setting her legs to his side to let his hips do all of the work. Her breasts bounce and it’s such an erotic image, one he’s definitely saving in his brain as her face turns into near bliss as she comes, quickly kissing her to quiet her down. He doesn’t spend too much time after her, quickly pulling out and coming on her stomach. Not that they were in any danger, since Pacifica was on birth control, but it didn’t hurt to check.</p><p>He sets her down and plops against her, kissing the back of her neck when she sweeps the hair away. She’s sweaty and salty, but he loves it. “You’re so bad,” Is the first thing he says after a while, chuckling against his skin. “Your first sleepover and you sneak off to see a boy.”</p><p>She laughs, and as always, it’s his favorite sound. “Shut up, idiot.”</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. hallelujah</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>dipper and pacifica, young priest and choir girl edition.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b><br/></b>         The catastrophe of his tale commences when he’s told he has one assignment left before becoming an exorcist, before completely giving himself to the faith and being one with the church. Ford looks at him in contemplation as he looks up. His nephew’s come a long way since a young boy with big dreams to take the world by storm; with both his stake and bible at hand, Dipper looks at him in rapt attention, ready to ingest any and all words. “Only one more before completely becoming a man of the church,” Ford says in all pride, regaling his black uniform with it’s white collar. “We have a ghost to exorcise, an unholy demon that lives in the Northwest Manor, think you can handle the job?”<b><br/></b></p><p>       Dipper smiles, a jolt of adrenaline kicking into his veins any and all times an assignment is given. “Do you doubt me?” He says in a rather cocky manner, all inheritance of the Pines family name.</p><p>      “Fantastic,” Ford agrees, joining his hands in one clap before picking his suitcase up, filled with books and all the needed armor for demon exorcising. “Onwards, son.”</p><hr/><p>        The mansion is gallantly immense, walls that nearly go up to skyscrapers overflow ahead of him and he’s in awe of the sheer gallantry of the place, it seems straight from Stoker’s novel, a mansion full of twists and turns, walls of concrete and wood overheating their own presence.</p><p>       “Thank you for taking care of our problem,” The patriarch of the Northwests, Preston, speaks, extending his hand in greeting towards Dipper’s uncle and Ford in his mild mannerisms politely accepts, taking to heart every word said. “We’ve had this rather nasty problem for a while now and we were told you two were the best in the business.”</p><p>       “Well, now, Mr. Northwest, I assure you we take our job very seriously,” Ford speaks and Dipper, although he’s a young man of only a few words is right behind him, stoic and respectful, nodding and watching the entire scene in detailed manner. “We’ll do whatever we can do rid your wonderful home of any devilish motions.”</p><p>      “Splendid!” Preston exclaims, and suddenly from the corner of his eye, Dipper notices a figure approach. “Pacifica, darling, come. Meet our heroes.”</p><p>        And it’s as if the world suddenly stops, Dipper seems to breath real life into his body for the first time. His faith has always been questionable, and yet as he stood here behind his uncle, watching the young woman his age approach, he can say with all certainty in his cobbled together body that in fact, maybe– just perhaps, there <em>is </em>a God. No human creature could ever take pride in calling the young woman in front of him to be only mortal, for her incandescent form took more in. Her long, blonde hair form a ring of aura around her that is beauty, her eyes are drops of sky blue that make his breath hitch. “Are they here for our situation?” She asks and her voice is soft, angelic, the fist he holds in his pocket tightens. <em>This is a test,</em> He thinks, watching Ford and Preston converse as the girl stares back at him.<em> It has to be.</em> “I’ll show you two to the problem area.”</p><p>        And she’s looking directly at him as she says these words, carefully taken words placed in a sentence to convey an order and Dipper finds himself dragging his feet behind her. “Lead the way.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>       Pacifica, like any other rebellious eighteen year old girl, has always had trouble with her parent’s authority, and whatever implications they may have placed on her to limit her capacity of cans and can’t dos. However, as she walks the Pines into the problem area and watches them converse and plan strategies as plates and glasses start lifting themselves up, the fire escape roaring back to life.</p><p>     “<em>Teterrimus ille daemon , vade ad locum istum</em>,” Ford’s voice starts chanting, dark and booming as Dipper behind him readies a stake, flipping through the pages, reading same words out loud. “Pacifica, stay back!” Dipper says as the whirlwind of table settings becomes rapid, the mounted animal heads on the wall bleeding dark  ooze.</p><p>        She’s frozen in her own place, by both fear and fascination, this is the first time she’s ever encountered a spiritual being at this level and her heart races against her chest. “<em><b>Northwest</b></em>,” The screeching demon voice reads, a violent, dark wind surrounding Pacifica. “<b><em>You must perish</em></b>.”</p><p>      “<em>Dimittam eam</em>,” Dipper says, the wind knocking him back but not before he manages to plunge himself at her, using his body to shield her from the tornado of utensils above them. There’s a racket going on far away from them, a far off noise of Ford managing to trap the demon in a mirror vessel and smashing it to the ground, but as Pacifica lies on the floor, breathing heavily as she wipes her strands of blonde bangs from her eyes, she sees Dipper above her, staring back at her, clothes tattered and in terrible shape given the conditions of the previous fight. “You alright?”</p><p>        His voice, worried and confused, manages to snap her out of her trance, deep brown eyes that had been looking back at her with such intensity that she hadn’t noticed Ford standing to approach them. She sits off, him following to sit beside her on the floor. “Yeah,” She says, touching her head as Dipper stands, offering his hand to her. Preston enters the room, so Pacifica manages to collect herself, to calm down the nervous tremor in her body at the thought of Dipper looking at her that way again. “I’m fine.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>        As she walks up the steps of the church the next week, Pacifica tells herself over and over again that it’s entirely a coincidence that she’s suddenly become an interested patron and would like to enhance her singing. That it’s entirely a coincidence that she’s been accepted into the church chorus that Dipper does his practices in and it’s completely a coincidence that in her first rehearsal he’s sitting in one of the pews, observing her. She’s aware that he’s also overseeing his sister in the choir, the young soon to be nun Mabel Pines, but as she sings about sweet submission into the divine, she can’t help the flare up her back that emits from his tree barked colored gaze among the echoing, vast church.</p><p>        “You were wonderful,” He tells her after practice, the cross hanging like a judge in his neck as Pacifica looks at him and tries to keep all her wicked thoughts at bay, as if God Himself could see them. “You’re voice is a lovely addition to the chorus.”</p><p>        And it’s the adulation and validation in his voice that makes her heart thump against her chest, hands twist at the side of her catholic school skirt. “Thank you.” She manages to say, quickly making her way out of the room, feeling his gaze at the back of her head.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>       It’s another late night in the monastery library when Dipper finds himself nose deep into some book or another when he hears shifting against one of the library pavements. He’s been looking into what exactly were the Holy Laws regarding exorcists feeling… both adoration and desire for someone that wasn’t by definition divine, that was a mortal as his own flesh and bones and as if lies become reality, he spots Pacifica at the corner of the library, filling all her papers in a file. “I’m sorry,” She says, placing a separate patch of hair from her forehead to the back of her ear. “I was looking for the new notes. Mabel told me they were back here?’’</p><p>        Pacifica’s features only heighten themselves in the low light, electricity hadn’t been sufficient in this part of the building and at the moment as Dipper used a candle to illuminate the room, Pacifica’s form nearly glowed underneath the light, the fire creating around her a sentiment of lovely and divine incantation; Pacifica had to be a creature of light for him; no God would create a woman like her without the purpose of having her be adored.</p><p>       And it’s the moment where they both reach for the same paper and they’re hands brush one across the other that Dipper feels an electrifying spark course up his body as he looks up into her eyes and all heaven and hell comes crashing down on him. He wants her, he wants this woman body and soul in a way he’s never desired for anyone ever before and duty and desire clash in his head as he swallows the knot in his throat.</p><p>       “Yes, well,” Dipper says nervously, running his sweaty hands down his pants. “I’ll leave you be.” And he swears that there’s a sense of disappointment as he walks away from her. As much as he might feel like a young god himself on the high of exorcising and demolishing the evils of the world; the temptation of the forbidden might be too much for him to take, so with a quick decision, he makes the choice to walk away. From her, from his desire.</p><p>Next time he sees her, he’ll need someone to pray for his doomed soul.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. death valley</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>bill cypher takes a victim that cuts to dipper's core.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      The forest grows dark and narrow and his heart is beating like a hammer against his chest, swinging and banging against all sides of his body as his foot nearly fails him when he tries jumping from a slope of dirt to another.<b><br/></b></p><p>    His family is safe, he made sure of that first. Ford had Stan, Mabel, Soos and Melody holed up in the Shack, down in a bunker made for protection years ago. It’s one of the few things that will give him solace now as the moon lies heavily on him, his pace slowing with his body giving out.</p><p>   He had promised Ford he would come back, he had promised Mabel he would be in one piece but he just… he had to be sure. He couldn’t stomach the idea that if they were safe from Bill’s return, the rest of the town wouldn’t be. That Pacifica could run the risk of being near him.</p><p>     Ford had anticipated Bill’s return, through vast and mighty powerful enchantments and deals, there’s a reason why he had made sure everyone that everyone that was a part of the Cipher wheel had been contacted to know about the possibility and to arm themselves… everyone except Pacifica.</p><p>    When her parents had found out she had secretly been dating Dipper Pines <b>(</b> “<em>My, Pacifica, of all people</em>!” <b>)</b> She had been nearly stripped away from him, from all of them as she had forced to attend (she still hadn’t gone, but she had been packing) to an all girls summer camp experience the other side of the country and at first thought, Dipper had been devastated.</p><p>    “<em>It’s my fault they’re sending you away</em>,” He had said in a hushed tone over the phone as he hid in this side of the room for the rest of the day. “<em>Pacifica, I should have never urged you to sneak out, it wasn’t the right time</em>.”</p><p>     “<em>Shut up, Dipper</em>,” She had replied and her voice had sounded broken, a sniffle as a ruffling over the phone suggested a wiping away of tears. “I wanted to get out. I wanted to see you. And don’t worry, we’ll–” Her voice had nearly broken but she managed to continue. “<em>We’ll make it through, I know we will</em>.”</p><p>    And she had sounded so sure, so eerily calm and collected, as if she had planned a way to get them out of the situation. And then it hit him.</p><p>    “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy,” A hauntingly familiar mix of voices says around the forest as Dipper stops running, the blood rush going from his head to his body exhilarating in an exhausted way. He hadn’t realized how much he stretched of his body until it wasn’t enough. A figure came out of the shadows, all too familiar, yellow eyes glowing in the dark. “Anyone ever told you that worrying makes a young man old?”</p><p>    And it’s as if one of his worst nightmares had come to life– a vision so bone chillingly terrified to him that it caused him to be still, as if his feet had been glued to the ground. Pacifica was walking towards him, it’s her body, it’s her face, it’s her long, luscious blonde hair and her stunning smile– but it’s <em>Bill’s </em>eyes. It’s <em>Bill’s </em>words, mixed in with hers and <em>Bill’s </em>way of addressing him.</p><p>He’d gotten to her <em>first</em>.</p><p>      “<em>No</em>,” He says in disbelief, finally able to move and it had been a step back. His fist coil against his legs as he feels aghast at the entire situation. “Where’s Pacifica?”</p><p>    There’s a laugh that escapes her throat, and it’s a strangely awful but familiar sound. It’s Pacifica’s laughter, mixed in with Bill’s maniacal manner. “Can’t you see what’s beyond the obvious, Pine Tree,” She says, taking a step forward, hunching her body forward to him, enough to make him step back until he realized he was against a tree trunk. “I <em>am </em>Pacifica. Sure, there’s some of good ol’ Bill running around in the mindscape but trust me,” She had said hands on hips, taking another step forward. “I’m <em>all </em>Northwest.”</p><p>    In an instinctive manner, Dipper shakes his head. Denying was the way to go because really, what <em>else </em>is there? “No,” He says again like a broken record. “Pacifica wouldn’t call me Pine Tree.”</p><p>    “Oh, honey,” She says and her voice now is 100% Pacifica’s, the tilt of her voice and all perfectly accentuated by hand gestures. “Trust me, I’m just a manifestation of Pacifica’s wants and desires and oh boy, does she <em>like </em>you.”</p><p>     Dipper’s cheeks flush and right now was not the time to think of that, to think of any of that and yet his heart skipped a beat at the thought of Pacifica wanting him in that manner. But he frowns, eyebrows creasing into a form. Now was definitely not the time for that. “What do you want?” He asks, infuriated. “What did you do to her?”</p><p>   There’s a giggle rising up her throat that manages to escape in soft, breathy Pacifica sort of way and maybe– just maybe this was actually her. “What? Did you think I deliberately forced myself into her mindscape? Oh, Pine Tree, you better than anyone should know I don’t pass without permission.”</p><p>     And as much as he hated– she was right. The feeling of helplessness of being outside his body still terrified him until today, the thought of one day waking up and seeing his body rather than being in it. “So <em>what</em>?” He asks, as Pacifica moves closer to his body, hands on the sides of the tree trunk that he rested against, her body dangerously close to his. “What was the deal?”</p><p>    Pacifica tisks, shaking her head softly as she lifted Dipper by his chin to look at him. “Let me tell you, she wasn’t easy. She has a hard will and she’s stubborn as all hell but I guess her parents being gigantic assholes was the last straw to break the camel’s back.” Pacifica looks at him, big blue eyes that seem familiar, oh so familiar, that it nearly tore him apart. “She wanted the perfect summer with you, isn’t that sweet?”</p><p>     And he hates himself for thinking it, he hates himself for even considering the idea as a passing thought but oh god it is, it is everything he wants without having to face the consequences. “Then why this? Why invade her body?”</p><p>     “Because I needed to seal the deal with <em>you</em>,” She replies nonchalantly. “So what do you say, Dipper,” And her voice is Pacifica’s, soft, delicate and just so completely and utterly hers that he forgets himself for a moment, forgets the worries around him and just focuses on her. She offers her hand to him. “Do you want to get that perfect summer with <em>me</em>? No Northwest parents to bug you, no impending doom of the summer end. Just you, me, your family and the rest of the sun filled days.”</p><p>    Under the moonlight, Pacifica had always looked gorgeous, as much as he loved making her the physical manifestation of the sun, the moon also enhanced her features, made her into a more ethereal figure than he ever thought possible and he’s considering it. The temptation is strong and nearly poisonous as he looks into Pacifica’s eyes and swallows a breath.</p><p>   <em>I would do anything for you</em>, He thinks. <em>But I can’t do this. I can’t leave the town behind. I’m sorry</em>.</p><p>     And his heart is heavy, it’s wild and it’s thumping around like a caged bird but with all his restraint he manages to avoid her seduction– to avoid to live a lie once again. “No,” He answers with pain in his voice. “No deal.”</p><p>   And there’s a hauntingly wicked smile that grazes her lips as she backs away, eyes going from Pacifica’s blue to the awful yellow that haunts his nightmares. “Oh, Dipper,” Is all that is heard before a flash of teeth and voice growing from Pacifica’s to something far more sinister. “You’ve just made a <em>huge </em>mistake.” And with that, she vanished.</p><p>   He had <em>failed </em>her– even though he’s sure its what she would have wanted</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. texting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>long distance dating sucks.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:06am]  </b> I miss you.<b><br/></b></p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:07am]   </b>What are you doing awake at this hour?</p><p><b>[message delayed] </b>… I miss you too</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:09am]  </b> I could say the same thing about you. What are you doing up so late?</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:12am] </b>My parents had a party and I was helping cleaning up. Hilda and Janet have it hard enough as it is, let alone cleaning up after a bunch of pompous asses.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:14am]</b>  I’ll never stop being amazed over how humbled you turned out to be.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:15am]</b> Oh shut up.</p><p><b>[message delayed] </b>… So what are you wearing?</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:18am]</b> I am actually snorting rn. Seriously, Paz?</p><p><b>[message delayed] </b>I’m wearing the sexiest thing I can think of. Blue sweats and a white tee. I look like trailer trash.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:21am]</b> Oh please, I bet you look fine. I’m just yanking your chain, it’s fun.</p><p><b>[message delayed] </b>I’m gonna change now into my sea foam green shorts and tee. So wrap your mind around that.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:23am] </b>If I wasn’t so tired, I’d be turned out right now.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:28am]</b> You okay? You still haven’t told me why you’re awake at 2am.</p><p><b>[messaged delayed]</b> Is it Bill again?</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:31am]</b> … Yes.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:32am] </b>I can call you if you want.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:34am] </b>No, it’s okay. I feel too tired to talk anyway.</p><p><b>[message delayed]</b> I kinda had another episode yesterday… Mabel had to pour salt outside my bedroom door.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:37am] </b>Oh, Dipper. I love you so much.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:38am]</b> I love you too, Paz.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:39am] </b>I can’t wait to see you this summer. Only three days until you come by. Hope California hasn’t changed you much.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:41am]</b> I’ve lived here all my life, babe. If it hasn’t changed me by now, I’m pretty sure I’m staying the same dork you feel in love with.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:42am] </b>you’re the worst type of dork, the self aware one.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:42am] </b>And yet, you’re still my girlfriend.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:44am] </b>I am. Can’t wait to sleep beside you again. It’s the best I ever sleep.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:44am] </b>Are you sleeping okay?</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:48am] </b>I am… Kinda. Thunderstorms still scare me so Spring was scary. Especially since no one at the Boarding School understands. To them, I’m just some airhead blonde that’s scared that her hairs gonna get wet.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:49am] </b>Pacifica, they’re idiots. I love you so much.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:52am] </b>Didn’t know you got so mushy in the AM, Pines.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:53am] </b>You bring that out in me.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:55am] </b>Go to sleep, you nerd. I need you fully charged when I see you back here in a couple of days. No boyfriend of mine is going to have baggy eyes.</p><p><b>[text to: Pacifica at 2:56am] </b>Always to the pinnacle of perfection with you.</p><p><b>[text to: Dipper at 2:57am] </b>You’re an idiot and I love you. Goodnight, Dipper.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. first date (???)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>sometimes dipper forgets that pacifica can be mean.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>       Like the rest of the Pines family, Dipper often felt his emotions too strongly and sometimes could get the better of him– sure, he was the most logical out of all of them (second only to Ford, but whatever) but still, when Dipper <em>feels </em>something, he let’s people know, even if he doesn’t outright <em>talk </em>about it.<b><br/></b></p><p>      And now as he walked into the Shack with Pacifica behind him with his hands on the pockets of his hoodie, he realizes one thing; he’s so in love with Pacifica Northwest that he sometimes forgets she used to be the meanest girl in Gravity Falls.</p><p>     “I can’t believe you said that,” He manages to breath out what he’s been holding in since they got out from the movies. There’s a slight line of anger in him but he tries keeping it down; they’re not dating so who’s he to call her on things? But still, friends look after friends, right? “That was so mean.”</p><p>       “What?” She asks him, blinking, taking her coat off. It’s incredible– it’s like she genuinely does not acknowledge what she did wrong; he can’t believe her. “The movie was bad. You said so yourself. It had shitty special effects and I’ve seen better acting in a preschool rendition of any Shakespeare play.”</p><p>      He pinches the bridge of his nose but heads for the living room. “Not that,” He says exasperated, plopping himself on the couch. She follows behind him, already feeling like it’s a second home to her, and sits in the arm of the couch. Usually they would just watch shitty TV  with Mabel until it was time for Pacifica to go but Mabel wasn’t home tonight and Dipper was too angry to think– both at her and the fact that she can’t see what she did wrong. “Pacifica, do you seriously have no idea what I’m talking about?”</p><p>“Not a clue,” She answers, taking one of her shoes off with the other foot as she leans back. “But you’ve been kinda cranky all week, but I didn’t want to bring it up.”</p><p>    He scowls at her, sure, he hasn’t been sleeping right but that has nothing to do with his current attitude. “You called that girl a bitch– <em>to her face</em>. I found her crying in a corner when you went to the bathroom.” He’s now looking at her and it appears to be slowly sinking in what she did. “Do you have those thoughts often or do you just filter yourself around me and Mabel?”</p><p>       There’s a slight red of embarrassment in her cheeks, but she huffs an indignant scowl and looks away, arms crossed. “<em>Please</em>,” She says, still not looking at him. “You and your savior complex. And so what? She was. She was rude to me all night, and during the movie, and when we got out she wouldn’t leave you alone. <em>Someone </em>had to scare her away.”</p><p>      “What makes you think scaring someone away is a way to get rid of them?” He asks, angrier now. Sure, the girl had been a tad annoying all throughout the night, and was rude to Pacifica on several occasions but still– Pacifica had no right to make her cry like that. “I thought you were better than this.”</p><p>       And there’s a slight nanosecond where he notices that was the wrong– definitely wrong– thing to say. They’d gone to the midnight screening of this bad movie so at 2am or so, of course he wasn’t the most coherent but… “I–I–” Pacifica says, now looking at him with a mixture of anger and sadness in her eyes and it pierces him through the heart. “Are you…”</p><p>       But one of the problems Dipper’s always had is that he keeps talking. Even when his foot is already really up his mouth. “I mean not only did you call her a bitch, but you went on and on about humiliating her. Pacifica, what the <em>fuck</em>? How do you even know all those things about her? Or was that you just lying your way through it? I saw so much Northwest in that that I kinda lost sight of Pacifica.”</p><p>        And it’s the final straw, it’s the one thing he shouldn’t have done as Pacifica stood up and looked at him. “<em>Fine</em>,” She nearly barks at him, arms still crossed. “I’m not about to sit here and listen to you berate me like you are my father. I’m sorry I made her cry, and I only did it because she was on my last nerve. My intention wasn’t to make her cry, you idiot. I just wanted her to get the point. You weren’t interested in her anyway, right? Then you owe me a <em>thank you</em>. Felicia is one of the girls at my Boarding School and I know her, alright? She’s not nice. She would have chewed you up and spit you out, but your stupid savior complex and general blindness to the female species won’t be able to see that past first glance now would you?”</p><p>      Dipper blinks, hardly keeping up with her. “I can look out for myself, Pacifica.” He says in an annoyed sigh as he passes a hand through his hair, sitting straight back up. “No matter how fucking stupid you think I am.”</p><p>       And there’s a part of him who’s always thought this but he’s always been afraid of voicing it. Sure he has a crush on one of his sister’s best friends’ and he’s had it for a while but she’s Pacifica Northwest– if anyone was going to chew him up and spit him out it was <em>her</em>.</p><p>       Pacifica groans and maybe it’s the fact that it’s super late at night and they’re both exhausted, maybe it’s the fact that they’re alone for the night and therefore have mostly secured the entire night as they both know no one will overhear them but Pacifica just looks at him. “You’re one of the most oblivious person I know, Dipper Pines.” And she’s angry, she’s agitated but she’s also sitting back on the arm of the couch. “I’ve liked you for years now and just now is that I’m trying. I asked you out for movies tonight– only you, and Mabel isn’t around because she’s helping me out. I mean, holy hell, Dipper, look at what I’m wearing!”</p><p>      His cheeks feel heated, <em>oh </em>he had <em>definitely </em>noticed what she was wearing, it’s not everyday he sees Pacifica in a pretty white, flowy shirt and form fitting, beautifully enveloping jeans. But there are a couple of seconds of pure silence where all he hears is white noise: “What?” He asks nervously, suddenly looking everywhere but her. “You like me?”</p><p>     “Yes,” She says, starting out in anger and ending in a tired sigh. “For a while, yeah.”</p><p>And like most, if not all, Pines in his family, Dipper acts first, asks questions later. He takes her by the sides of her face and kisses her, nearly causing her to fall on top of him. There’s a mixture of limbs and arms going around one another and it starts slow, as if neither of them believe this is happening because <em>holy shit</em>, Pacifica was <em>jealous</em>– Pacifica <em>liked </em>him– Pacifica was going out with him on <em>purpose</em>.</p><p>      There’s a moment where they both need to breathe so Dipper breaks first, placing his forehead against hers. “Okay so,” He says, embarrassed but going with it. “Maybe I’m a little bit of an idiot cause I’ve liked you for a long time too and was scared of doing anything.”</p><p>     Pacifica hums with a roll of her eyes, nearly scoffing. “Talk later,” She says, getting more comfortable in his lap, curling her arms behind his neck. “Kiss now.”</p><p> Grinning, he rolls his eyes but kisses her anyway, the pressure of her body on his being the perfect counterbalance to keep in firmly placed on the ground. And yes, maybe being love in with Gravity Falls former mean girl was gonna get some getting used to but… he can easily adapt.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. long live the reckless and the brave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>pacifica and dipper--monster hunters extraordinaires</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She could smack him.<b><br/></b></p><p>If she wasn’t as tired and exhausted as her body felt, heavy and shuddering, she would take her right arm and give him a good ol’ smack upside the head– which he so <em>clearly </em>needed.</p><p>“Sure,” She says in a sarcastic voice so thick and gruelling, that it legit made him wince. “Let’s go after the legion of faeries, I’m sure no one’s going to mind.”</p><p>“It’s not <em>my </em>fault the faeries and the manotaurs’ made some sort of pact for mutual protection,” Dipper says between huffs of breath, shifting his hands from his jeans and looking at her. His voice echoed throughout the cave they had managed to hide in, one that wasn’t populated by any supernatural creature. “I hadn’t heard of mutual protection pacts in years! According to the journal those had been extinct in years.”</p><p>Pacifica scoffs, rolling her eyes as she headed deeper into the cave. <em>Why </em>had she come with him in the first place? “<em>Oh my god</em>, Dipper, that still doesn’t–” She groans, trying to nurse her oncoming headache. She watches him nearly limp towards her and that’s when she notices that something was wrong. “Why are you limping?”</p><p>There’s s light hesitance when he struggles to answer her. “I–<em>uh</em>– was nursing a broken ankle… which is probably broken… again.” He says, taking a deep breath in pain, slowly hissed between his teeth and that’s when she sprints into Caretaker mode. “I knew that if I told you, you’d be like the rest of my family and probably lock me in my room.”</p><p>“Yeah, with good reason, Dipshit,” She groans, helping him by putting some of his weight on her shoulder as she makes him lean against a wall. He refuses to sit, says something along the lines of sitting for too long so he stands, and ripping a part of the bottom of her shirt, she tries to create a makeshift bandage to patch his ankle up. “You smell danger and instead of turning away from it, you charge it head on.”</p><p>He chuckles under his throat as she leans down and wraps his ankle, not putting up a fight. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. I think it makes me brave.”</p><p>“It makes you reckless,” She retorts, strengthening the knot, looking up at him. “There’s no point in being brave if you’re not around to see it’s effect, you know.”</p><p>“Are you going to lecture me too?” Dipper sighs, rolling his eyes. “I’ve had enough as it is… Paz, it’s just that…” And suddenly there’s a strange silence. It’s not a comforting silence, it’s one of contemplation, one that makes him question, makes him <em>think</em>. “There’s something about being the one looking after the town that’s… I…” A sad sigh escapes his lips; she notes the familiar tone of it so well from the countless times she’d heard it from herself. “It makes me feel important. Like I matter.”</p><p>It suddenly dawns on her how important all of this must have been– the risking, the climbing, the jumping– they’re all things that make him feel like he matters; like he’s alive.</p><p>“I know it sounds dramatic,” He says, trying to chuckle awkwardly as to relieve himself of the embarrassment he felt. “I just… after Weirdmaggeddon, after all of… that, I just constantly fear of the town succumbing to that again. We never figured out why anomalies happen more often here and since I’m not fully studied in the subject, the least I can do for this town– <em>my </em>town– is to protect it.”</p><p>“<em>Our </em>town,” Pacifica says for the first time in what feels like a long while. Her breath is shaky and it reverberates out the cave, the rains on the outside draining it a bit. “Dipper– you’re not alone. You have Mabel, Wendy, Candy, Grenda, your grunkles…” And there’s s light braveness spiked through her heart as she approaches him, cupping his cheek. “You have me. I may not seem like much but I don’t like people <em>underestimating </em>me either.”</p><p>His cheeks redden and he’s probably thinking she can’t see him because of the dark– but she <em>can</em>. “I would never.” He says in a weak smile, a shy one.</p><p>She smiles back. “We can all protect this town, together. We’re all just as scared as you are. But we have to protect each other first, without us, who’s left?” And she hopes she sounds reassuring, she really does as she leans forward.</p><p>She suddenly remembers why she came along, after the pain and anger and all around annoyance, she remembers why she tagged along in the first place. She likes Dipper, a lot… okay so maybe a bit more than she’s letting on but… Dipper makes her laugh, Dipper makes her smile and run and scream and sigh and grunt and feel… Dipper and his family– her family– make <em>her </em>feel alive. “Thank you, Pacifica,” He manages to say, breaking her train of thought. “It means a lot.”</p><p>“Glad to be of service, Dipshit,” She grins. “Now, do you mind telling me why it was so important to get a hold of those faeries in the first place?”</p><p>Dipper’s face resembles a tomato when asked and she can’t help but chuckle, even a little bit. “I– I–<em>uh</em>– I wanted to get something… for you,” He admits and now it was her turn to get red. “There’s a jewel in the mountains that if you hold it close to your chest, you’re granted one wish. And wanted you to have it.”</p><p>There’s little to no time when she takes a step closer to him and hugs him tight, calling to mind a night at the Northwest Mansion many summers ago when she nearly did the same, only that this time new feelings were involved, new motives. “Thank you,” She says, looking up at him, hands still wrapped around his torso. “But I’d prefer to keep you around and alive better.”</p><p>He laughs and the vibration on his chest to her feel nice, like coming home after a long day. “I think I can do that.”</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. engaged</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>dipper and pacifica, the morning after</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His favorite view in the entire world is waking up next to her.<b><br/></b></p><p>And Dipper has been through countless adventures, seen things no one has ever dared to even imagine about, faced hell and back and has managed to stay alive– and <em>yet </em>Pacifica with her hair around her, the sun slowly creeping into their bedroom and slowly illuminating her from the edge of their bed up– is the most beautiful image he’s ever witnessed.</p><p>The glitter on her ring suddenly catches his eye and his heartbeat quickens, a smile on his lips. He can’t believe it’s true– and even with the proof on his own finger as well, Dipper still counts himself as the luckiest man in the world.</p><p>“<em>Pacifica</em>,” Dipper had said the night before, standing from the picnic they made and rummaging around his pockets. He was nervous, his hands sweaty and his voice nearly cracking, but he still held on. “<em>I–I know it’s – we’re 24 and… and there’s been many times where we’ve been almost killed by monsters and stuff and– and it really makes me think</em>.” Pacifica looked at him with a quizzical brow but didn’t interrupt him. “<em>We’ve both finished our bachelor’s degrees and moved back to the town and</em>…”</p><p>He had been so nervous. His eyes had scanned the dark left and right, afraid of unknown threats, but really… he was stalling. “<em>Dipper</em>?” She asked with a blink of her eyes.</p><p>“<em>Look</em>,” He said again, determined to finish this time. “<em>Pacifica Elise Northwest, you’re the love of my life. You’ve been with me through bad and through good and I couldn’t imagine my life without you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and–ugh– I feel like a jackass for spewing all this cliche stuff but… you make me stupid, Pacifica. I feel nervous around you, I feel vulnerable but like– in the good way. The best way. I love you and</em>…” He finally had managed to find the small box in his pocket, fishing it out and opening it. “<em>I know it’s not much but… would you marry me</em>?”</p><p>And the look on Pacifica’s face had been enough to light up an entire stadium, her eyes had been prickling with tears as Dipper managed to dig his way through his words. “<em>You idiot,</em>” She had answered him, with no real malice but instead hugging him, nearly tackling into the ground as she kisses him. “<em>In case you didn’t understand that, that’s a yes</em>.”</p><p>Dipper had laughed, kissing her and kissing her– nearly unable to stop himself from kissing her, happiness bubbled in his chest, ready to burst. “<em>I could tell</em>.”</p><p>And now at 8:26am, Dipper looked at his sleeping fiancee and just felt all of reality slowly curl itself around his shoulders. Pacifica loves him; Pacifica wants to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him. The smile that spreads on his face is small but genuine and it feels so good, it makes him feel alive, whole.</p><p>She stirred in her sleep. “Good morning,” She says in her groggy voice as her eyes slowly open. And she’s smiling, she’s also smiling at him because… well, it’s him. He makes her happy, he can hardly believe it.</p><p>“Good morning,” Dipper replies, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “Go back to sleep, I’ll make breakfast.”</p><p>“Well now you’re <em>spoiling </em>me,” Pacifica says with a roll of her eyes. “You’re so happy.”</p><p>Dipper chuckles. “Come on, we have people to talk to later.” He says, imagining everyone’s reaction. “We might as well stack up.”</p><p>“Mabel’s gonna freak out,” Pacifica says in a small laugh, running a hand through her blonde hair and sitting up, clearly not needing any more sleep. “Twenty bucks Stan cries.”</p><p>He stands up and stretches, taking his boxers from the floor and slipping them on. “Oh, twenty bucks says Mabel’s gonna try and be our planner.”</p><p>Pacifica shuffles behind him, grabbing one of his large oversized shirts and slipping it on. “You’re on.”</p><p>He smiles, knowing that as much as he adores his family, they can get a bit overemotional. Dipper laughs at the thought though, it’s sweet to know his family cares. “Do you think I could make Wendy my best man?”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s how it works but sure,” Pacifica adds, standing up and walking to the bathroom, Dipper follows behind her. “Mabel’s maid of honor for sure.”</p><p>“Really doesn’t matter,” Dipper replies, wrapping his arms around her waist, putting his head on her shoulder, looking at their reflections; both rings glittering. “As long as you’re the bride and I’m the groom, it’s going to be alright.” She giggles. “Or we can switch it up, whatever. Traditional gender roles can suck it.”</p><p>Pacifica rolls her eyes but leans back to him anyway. “You’re the worst.”</p>
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